Less is more
by Lololova
Summary: A collection of those one shots I consider too small to stand on their own. So, stories with less/around 1k words each. Will most likely post them on Tumblr (lololova) too since, after a poll on Twitter (lololovax), that's what most of you guys wanted. All will be about Castle and Beckett and the things/people surrounding them (but still with Caskett as the main).
1. 20 years

**_Prompt_** _: Not really a prompt but wrote this on the 20th anniversary of Johanna Beckett's death to honor the mother we never really got to know. Thank you for being the amazing mother, thank you for believing in Katie when she needed someone to lean on. Vincit Omnia Veritas._

* * *

"It's been 20 years mom. I still miss you, every day," she sighs as she looks over to where her husband is standing with their daughter. "So does my little one. She's been asking about you." She laughs, "She's only 2 but that little brainy has already asked about you. Just the other day I was making brunch the way you made it to me and…" she feels her throat swollen at the memories flooding back, "she asked… she asked why you were gone, not there like Martha. She asked if you lived with her grandpa and why we never saw you." She feels the tears roll down her cheeks. "I told her, as much as I could, and when I was done she said she miss you. And I wanted you to know that _we_ miss you. All of us. Including Castle," she looks over at her family again, seeing Lily in Castle's arms as they talked to each other.

Castle had suggested she'd go over there first, like always he knew that's what she wanted. She loves to have him with her when she talks to her mom, but she also loves how he makes sure to give her the privacy she needs. This was the first time since the few weeks after Lily's birth they took her with them. They simply hadn't had time and Kate had been hesitant to bring her baby into the cemetery, was scared of all the questions she had yet to discover how to answer.

"She wants to meet you. Which is why we took her with us today," she draws in a deep breath as she wipes away the tears. "She's got something she wants to tell you, something she wants to tell you herself." Kate waves to her husband who immediately tells something to their daughter before putting her down on the ground and taking her small hand in his big one.

Kate can't stop the smile forming her lips, she finds it so amusing to see her little girl's hand being completely swallowed by his, loves it almost as much as having her own wrapped hand wrapped over the small hand.

"Momma, cryin'?" Lily asks the second she comes close enough to see Kate's face.

"Uh, yeah," Kate wipes her face again before sitting down with her knees in the grass. She had learned quickly that it helps explaining things to her kid if she comes down on her level. "I miss grandma, sweetie." Lily lets go of her father in order to put her arms around her mother's neck.

"Me too," Lily whispers in her ear and Kate has to bite her lip to not start crying again.

After a few seconds of silence Lily loosens her grip slightly and so Kate turns her daughter in her embrace to put her face to face with the stone representing the place of her mother's body.

"This is Lily, Lily, this is where you can go when you want to talk to your grandma. Her body is in the ground here, but like daddy already told you her soul is up there," Kate says while she points up to the sky. "She knows when we visit her and makes sure to rush down here in order to listen to us. We can't see her, but… she's here."

Kate isn't sure she believes it, but she agrees with Castle on this one. Kids need to believe in the magic, the unknown, and even though Kate isn't sure she believes it she has always acted like she did anyway. She always comes here when there's something she needs to tell her mom, so who says it isn't true? Well, _she_ is if someone other than Castle calls her out on it, but it still might be true. _Who knows?_

"I jovje you, gjama," Lily's voice breaks through Kate's thoughts and she feels her eyes tear up again.

A hand lands on her shoulder and she looks up to see Castle bending down to sit on his knees right behind her, giving her any support she might need.

"That's right baby, we love her," Kate whispers in her daughter's ear before loosening her arms to witness the little girl walk closer to the stone.

The tears refuses to be held back when she observes her little baby kiss the palm of her hand to place the kiss onto the stone, right in the middle of Johanna's name.

Castle wraps his arms around his wife and she leans into him for support. She feels his lips in her hair as they both stay silent to listen to their daughter starting to tell her grandmother about things. Her vocabulary is not yet perfected but Kate can easily tell the little girl is talking about her favorite games and toys from back home.

Once Lily is tired she backs into Kate and falls into her embrace, mumbling something about a story. And so Kate starts telling her a story. A story about how the girl's grandma had taken her to a beautiful meadow where everything had been possible, and how Kate would take her there some day.

"When?" Lily asks with a yawn and Kate chuckles at the sleepiness coming from the girl's body.

"When you're a bit older. Now's time to go home," she says and kisses her daughter's head.

Castle is the one to raise up first, and helps Kate up with Lily still in his wife's arms. As Lily is slowly falling asleep they start their small treck back to the car waiting for them at the gate.

It might have been 20 years since Kate lost her mom, about 5 since they got her justice, but the way Kate knew she could relive all her beautiful memories when sharing them with her daughter is warming her heart more than she ever thought possible. Johanna would continue to live in their memories, and their hearts. Forever.

* * *

 _ **A/N** : So, as some of you know because you follow me on twitter I decided to make this collection with which I'm going to post all one shots which are too small to be standing on their own. After two polls on twitter I've understood most of you want me to post them on here as well as on tumblr so I will (if I don't forget that is). I won't be posting them on Wattpad though, since I've decided I only post the longer ones on there too. _

_Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this little tribute to Johanna Beckett, Rest In Peace Johanna, and until next time for you guys, xxxx_


	2. Nerf gun (collab w KateMB)

_**Collaboration with KateMB here on fanfic (KateMB on twitter) and it's the result of our tweet smashed together. Thank you for this fun collab Kate!**_

* * *

 _TextFromLastNight said; (512): All I remember is me taking my automatic nerf gun getting on top of him and saying..."look whos in control now!"_

* * *

Beckett climbs on top of him and he can't stop the smug look coming over his face, "You know, you holding the gun so strategically is kind of arousing."

She rolls her eyes and shoots him once to prove she's not joking around.

Castle stared at her shocked. With a squeaky voice filled with offend he shrieked: "YOU ACTUALLY SHOT ME?!"

"I _finally_ shot you. After all these years…you had it coming," she corrects, as if she's been waiting for this moment and oh no he couldn't have it that way.

He quickly tackles her to take control. Pinning her hands beside her head he makes sure the gun is knocked out of the bed, landing on the floor and when she exclaims "HEY!" he shuts her up by kissing her mouth.

With that kiss all she can do is moan and kiss him back. Not that she's powerless. Oh no no. She could regain control easily, she's just letting him have control for a few minutes because it is totally worth having him pleasuring her mouth the way he always do. She can take control when she wants to.

As soon as she relaxes and opens her mouth to let his tongue in, she retaliates by flipping them over, pinning him.

"So not fair," he grumbles.

"Oh you won't be complaining when you feel what I do to you next," she says.

He has no doubt about that. Still, he playfully tries to wriggle free but her grip only tightens as she starts moving against him.

He moans, and she says "See? You're liking this already." She grinds into him some more.

"But isn't it more fun when I'm in control?" As he says that, he thrusts into her, hitting her right where she wants him.

"Fuck," she moans.

With the sudden loss of all thoughts, because of the way his hips moved up into hers, she let go of a gasp when he once again flipped them over only to start kissing her neck. She finds herself turning into a moaning mess.

"Ohhhh...mmmmm...you don't play fair." She thinks of her retaliation but the way his lips & tongue work their magic on her neck... She's becoming powerless. She hates it and loves it at the same time.

Castle carefully lets go of her hands, feeling her body surrendering into him he has no worry she'll retaliate, and starts to wickedly stroke the sides of her body, sending tingles down her spine. Her body arches into him, welcoming his hands gliding all over. He feels her shiver, and he knows she's anticipating more.

"You may be on top, but I can still give commands," she murmurs.

"Oh, you think so?" he counters.

"Oh, I know so," she replies with a smirk and he grins against her skin. He knows as well as she does that they're at their best when they work _together_.


	3. Makes you think

_**Prompt** : Takes place in 47 Seconds (4x19) when Castle and Beckett discusses how wrong it all is, how the victims were just random people being at the wrong place at the wrong time with all these plans of their futures they would never get to experience. _

* * *

"It makes you think about all those things in your own life that you don't want to put off anymore," Kate says as she keeps eye contact with him, tries to conjure up the courage she needs in order to say what needs to be said before she chickens out. Again. "Castle, I..." she looks down, starts fiddling with her fingers. "I remember," she lets it out in an exhale, not sure he can hear but needing to keep her eyes off of him in order to not lose strength. "I remember everything and I... I've tried to put together my-ah, my broken pieces. I want to be whole, for you, f-for u-us," she stumbles across the last two words, because she really doesn't know how to say the things she needs to, doesn't know how to confess the feelings stirring inside her towards the writer.

Without moving her eyes she sees his feet come in closer, the warmth of his body indicating his body was only inches away from hers.

"Kate, I..."

"Yo, captain's gathering the troops," Esposito says into the break room and Castle immediately takes a step back to create distance between them.

In that second she can't help but hate her friend and coworker, but clenches her jaw in order to not let it spill out her mouth. So close. They'd been so close to finally getting somewhere. She looks back to Castle once Espo is out of the way and sees the hope along with the disappointment in his blues. Taking a deep breath she notices his eyes turn to her with anticipation of what she was about to say, but she knows it's not what he wants to hear.

"We should get back to the case."

Even she can hear the disappointment in her voice but she knows there isn't much more they can do before the case is over.

"Yeah, we'll talk when it's over," he agrees and she sees a flash of hope in his blues.

She's not moving and so when he passes her he carefully joins their fingers together to tug her with him. Without hesitation she follows him and lets their fingers touch until they both let go when they get into the bullpen. She's not really sure what it means, but she's confident they won't go too long before they talk about everything.

* * *

Once the case is finally over, the reporter arrested for the explosion and the victims, Kate finds herself in front of her team with the offer of a drink to unwind. Ryan immediately passes with the excuse of missing Jenny, which Kate completely understands, and when Esposito says he's too tired she immediately looks at her partner. She's certain he can see the glimpses of hope and anticipation in her hazels but she doesn't care.

"Of course, I'm in," Castle says and she has to hold back herself in order not to jump of joy.

"Let me just grab my stuff," Kate quickly gets her phone and keys along with the small bag she brought with her this morning.

Soon enough the two of them is heading out of the precinct Kate can't help but think about grabbing his hand – maybe tangle her fingers with his? – but also can't find the courage in herself to act on her thoughts. What if he rejected her? Though, she doubts he would, especially considering the longing gazes he'd sent her way during the case when he thought she wasn't looking. She keeps noticing the looks even as they set their footsteps towards The Old Haunt without a word about where to grab the drink. Both of them loves the bar and almost every time they headed out for a drink after a hard case they went there. Castle owning the bar is a big plus too, means they can go down to the office if they want privacy.

"After you," Castle says as he opens the door for the bar.

"Thanks," she smiles with her teeth showing as she walks past him.

They order a beer each before Kate gestures towards the office with an askance in her eyes. Castle doesn't hesitate before he leads the way and opens the secret hatch in the floor to let her go down first. Kate steers her feet towards the couch he's placed down there and takes a sip of her beer when he sits down next to her.

"So..." he starts and she can feel her hands getting sweaty with the nerves flipping inside her belly. "You-uh, remember everything?" She nods her head and looks at him from under her lashes, wanting to hide but knowing there were nowhere for her to go. "How long?" There's a hurt in his voice and she wonders if she waited too long to tell him. Can't help but wonder if he doesn't want her now that he knows she lied to him.

She gulps, licks her lips before slowly parting them. "I," her voice was raspy with the small fear invading her whole being, "I never didn't."

"Wha-why?" She quickly turns her eyes down in shame, doesn't dare look at him. Now he's definitely going to leave her.

"I wasn't... ready, I didn't... couldn't cope," her voice is a lot lower and more insecure than she normally allows it to be. But it being _him_ and not just anyone it somehow makes it feel a little more okay. If she's going to open up to him, _truly open up_ , she needs to show her whole self, not just the hard boiled detective she is. "It's no excuse, I know... and I understand if you hate me."

His sudden huff had her looking at him and his eyes tell her he's beyond frustrated. "I could never hate you Kate, I lo-ve you." Her eyes widen and it feels like a stone is lifted off her shoulders.

"Y-you do?" she says and he nods slowly, as if he's trying to show how serious he is. She's biting her lower lip while looking into his blues, trying to conjure up the courage she needs to say it back. Because she _wants_ _to say it back_. Wants him to know she loves him too, no matter how broken she is or how it makes absolutely no sense to her at all that he loves her. She can tell he's patient, waits for her to say something as if to not screw anything up. It almost looks like he's afraid he's scared her away, as if he is just waiting for her to run away. _But she won't_. "I love you too."

Her voice is strong, more confident than she believed she could muster, and it looks like it surprises him. _Did he not know? Had he been that clueless?_ _What about their talk at the swings? Had she been that unreadable?_

Without warning he leans in and before she knows anything else his lips touch hers in a careful peck, pulling away as fast as he leaned in. Kate smiles at the small tingles left behind by the touch and finds herself leaning into his side, cuddling into him with her head fitting perfectly in the crook of his neck, her arm going behind his back to be as close as she can be.

"How do you want to do this?" Castle asks after a moment of silence, his arm around her shoulders to keep her close.

"I need to go slow, that wall that I told you about?" she more felt than saw his nod. "It's coming down, but it's not quite there just yet. I want us to start though. I want us to be an us. I don't want to wait anymore."

He pulls away in order to look down at her and his lips pulled up in a big grin is contagious as she feels her own lips drawn up in a mirroring smile. She catches herself glancing to his lips and when she adjusts her eyes to his again she can see he noticed the change.

"Does that mean I can kiss you?" he asks and she bites her lip in anticipation.

"I think it does," she whispers and that's all he needs to hear before he closes the distance between them, claiming her lips with his.

The wall inside her looses more bits and pieces as his tongue brushes it's way into her mouth, dancing with her own tongue. She has a feeling it wouldn't be long now until that final brick fell, until he was completely and utterly under her skin. She has a feeling he's actually already in her veins.

 _ **The End**_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Thank you all for your incredible patience! I started working this week and I've been so so so so tired every single day due to all the new information and such and it kills me that I haven't been able to write as much as I want to... at least I hope it'll get easier when I finally find my rhythm at work and I hope to whoever's listening that I'll be able to start writing longer things soon enough. I miss it so much, you have no clue. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this small one shot and hope you all have a great time while I'm trying to find my rhythm. Until next time, xxxx_


	4. Moonlight dance

"Castle, what are you doing? I was really comfortable on that couch," Kate Beckett questioned as her husband kept pulling her with him towards the porch of their beach house.

Kate Beckett and Richard Castle had been married for no more than a couple of years and between the murders they tended to take small vacations during longer weekends to the beach house he'd purchased long before they met. The Hamptons house had been a lot bigger than Kate had anticipated the first time she'd been there but now she felt it would be absolutely perfect for when they had little ones living with them. Speaking of that first time she was there, they'd been unfortunate to get a murder quite literally stumbling into their pool which had ended with the two of them getting involved with the case. Fortunately they hadn't had that bad of a luck the next times they'd vacationed at the beach. That second time they went there Castle had made sure to make up for the time they'd lost that first time. _Gosh_ , those hands had done wonderful things to her. And his food along with the activities in the pool, _mmmm_. The most amazing part must've been ...

"I know, but I want to show you something," her husband interrupted her thoughts and took her back to the now.

She chuckled, "Haven't you already shown me everything?"

"Not this," he defended with a smirk glancing back to her and she rolled her eyes.

He loved surprising her, she'd noticed, and even though she'd never liked surprises she found herself loving his. Well, not at first, she _hated_ the secrecy, but once the surprise was over she absolutely fell in love with it. _Most_ _of_ _the_ _times_ , anyway.

As they got out on the porch Kate felt the warm summer air shower her body, her summer dress allowing the air to reach her skin in a way her work-clothes never did. The grass under her bare feet was soothing and soft. She was surprised it was so warm, had expected it to be cold considering it was quite dark outside and the time must've been closer to midnight than not. When they started to reach the middle of the grass between the house and the beach she saw something catching her eyes within seconds. In the grass stood carefully placed lit candles a little here and there in what she presumed was a big candle-shaped heart. It was big enough for them to step inside and when they did Castle picked up his phone from his pocket only to surprise her even more when music started playing in the air.

"May I have this moonlight dance?" he asked, reaching out his hand towards her in invitation and she felt herself swoon over the love she felt for him.

"You may," she said with a wide smile spreading on her lips and offered him her hand.

Castle pulled her into his arms and held her hand while the other snaked around her in order to land gently on the lower of her back while Kate put her free hand on his shoulder. They swayed to the music, their bodies close together as they gazed into each other's eyes. Kate was drowning in his ocean blues like she'd done a million times before and she could almost swear he did the same. The light of the moon made his eyes even more magical, the shadows in his face made him only more mystical. He was beautiful, handsome. The grass tickled their bare feet but none of them cared, actually Kate only found it more romantic. Castle pushed her out a little in order to turn her around, her back against his chest as they kept swaying, his arms in a secure hug around her, and she felt his lips in her hair. They swayed in that position for a few minutes before he twirled her back to their original position and she couldn't _not_ stand on her toes to catch his lips with hers. The kiss was smooth, gentle, and she hoped he could feel every ounce of love she put into it, just like she could feel his. They pulled back before air became a necessity, both smiling wide.

"God, I love you Kate," he breathed out and she bit her lip, looking down only to gaze up at him through her lashes.

"I love you too Rick."

They danced some more in the moonlight, and when they got tired they simply laid down in the middle of the candle shaped heart, Kate's head resting on his chest and their hands clasped together on his stomach. Castle's free hand was fiddling with her long hair and she found herself drifting off from the pleasure along with the safety of being in his arms.

"Are you awake?" His whisper was barely loud enough for her to catch it but thankfully she wasn't completely asleep yet.

"Mhmm," she hummed, her eyes blinking to stay awake long enough to hear what he wanted to talk about.

"I was thinking," he started and she turned her head in order to look up at him.

He was gazing up towards the stars and the moon but she could still see the wonder in his eyes and the small wrinkle he usually had when he thought about telling her something important.

"When we have kids," she bit her lower lip at the when, not if, "do you think I should add kids to Nikki and Jameson or would that be too personal?"

His question had her chuckling and he glanced down at her with a quirk to his eyebrow.

"Since when do you worry about Nikki Heat getting too personal?" she asked and he scrunched his nose.

"Point taken."

She thought about it though, having their alter egos joining them in the parenting process. Thought about how that would turn out in crime books. She became sceptical. "I don't know to be honest. I mean, I have no problem with them taking another step but I'm not so sure it would fit into their genre. They're crime books," she said with all honesty.

He nodded. "I see what you mean."

"Though," she added in a light tone. "If you think you can make it work I'd say go for it."

His gaze softened and she smiled, her heart skipping a beat due to the love she could see in his blues. And she couldn't wait to tell him.

"You know, maybe you'll have to rewrite the ending on the next one," she said and his forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"What do you mean? I just finished it and you said you liked it, why would I change?"

She just loved how clueless he was, loved how it would all come as a big surprise for him. She'd planned on telling him later that week, when it was their anniversary, but now she couldn't imagine telling it another way.

"Maybe Nikki Heat should already be pregnant in that ending," she said and he got even more confused as she couldn't help herself from letting go of a chuckle. She couldn't stop smiling, her teeth grinning wide.

That's when she could see the puzzle bits fall into place because he got this shocked look with wide eyes as he opened his mouth in a small o.

"You mean...?" he said, just barely louder than a whisper. "Are you…?"

Sticking out her tongue she wasn't able to contain her happiness. Her whole soul glowing with the wonderful news. With a nod in place it didn't take more than a couple seconds before he was pulling her up and claiming her lips with a joyous yelp. She laughed in the kiss as he pushed her onto her back only to follow, placing himself above her with his body close to hers. When his tongue seeked entrance, and got it, her laugh disappeared and got replaced by a moan. She let her hands start to wander, let them go around his body in order to pull him closer and started demanding more with her own mouth. He made a sound, a mix between a chuckle and a groan, and slowed down the kiss in order to pull away, their eyes getting stuck in each other's.

"So, we're having a baby," he stated in a low voice, his lips pulled up in a wide smile.

"Yeah," she whispered. "We're having a baby." The confirmation had his lips pulling up impossibly wider and she mirrored his expression.

They were having a baby. _A baby. I can't wait._

 _ **THE END**_

* * *

 ** _A/N_** _: Hope you all enjoyed this small shot and have a geeat weekend! Until next time, xxxx_


	5. Half of Me

_Inspired by the amazing song "Half of Me" by Tom Bleasby. Give it a listen. Oh, and Happy anniversary #10YearsOfCastle_

* * *

"You can throw it away if you want, but I'm not gonna stick around and watch you, so this is, uh over. I'm done," he said and walked away.

Castle had enough, he wasn't going to watch her kill herself. But the second he set foot outside her door he couldn't find himself walking another step, and so he leant against the wall beside the door. Slowly, he slid down the wall, feeling the tears running down his cheeks at the same speed as his vision got too blurry to see anything. She was throwing herself to the wolves, and she didn't care. She didn't care whether she lived or died. And, _fuck_ , if that hurt! _Why do I care so much about her?_ Castle tried to gather some strength to get up and get out but he couldn't. It felt as though his whole being had given up. It felt as though he'd left half of him inside that door, inside her apartment. _She's my half. Was. She was my other half_ _._ They'd been through so much together, and he'd made the choice to leave her out of the deal in order to _keep her safe_. It hadn't been his intention to make her feel betrayed, or like she couldn't trust him. _It had been for her own safety for fuck's sake!_

But of course she didn't see it that way. Her mother's case had made her closed off. It was what had made her shut him out in the first place. _The walls_ _._ She'd spoken about them that day on the swings, said she had to work them through in order to have the relationship she wanted. And just the other week she'd said the walls were about to come down, and that she wanted him there when they were. _Not anymore_. He wondered if she ever did love him, if she ever had started having feelings for him or if it was all just pretend. Leaning his head back to the wall he closed his eyes, let his tears fall as he kept thinking about her, kept trying to let go of her. Somewhere deep down he knew he wouldn't be able to, at least not while still being outside her apartment, but he also couldn't find strength to walk away. There was still a pull inside him, like it was the south side of a magnet and she was the north. He was still drawn to her and he had a feeling that no matter what he always would be. She was his other half. _She has my heart._

Beckett couldn't believe her ears. Couldn't believe he betrayed her like that. But what was even harder for her to understand was the fact that he left. _He just left!_ Said he was done and _left_. The second he turned around to leave she'd felt her jaw drop, a scream of regret getting caught in her throat. Her eyes were already filled with tears but when he closed the door behind him it was like someone turned on the tap water, a river flowing down her cheeks. She hadn't meant for him to leave! _I want him here!_ She wanted him to turn back, say he didn't mean to leave. Say he still loved her. Say he was sorry about keeping secrets. She _wanted_ to _forgive_ him.

For weeks, no, _months_ , she'd kept telling herself she wasn't ready. She'd kept telling herself she needed to heal to be with him. But now, standing _without_ him, had her questioning her every decision. If she'd let him in sooner, if she'd _opened up_ , would he have told her sooner? _Stupid walls_. It took her several minutes before she could move, before her eyes stopped staring at the door in the hopes of him coming back, and she only moved to lean against the kitchen counter. It felt as though all her strength went out the window, as if he took a part of her with him. _Maybe he had_. He had been her partner, her other half, for the past four years. Sure, he'd been an annoying nine year old on a sugar rush in the beginning but once he'd let her see the _real_ him she couldn't deny how close they got. She knew she could live without him, _of course_ she could, but she suddenly wasn't so sure she _wanted_ to. She wanted her other half, she didn't want her partner to leave. She'd wanted them to be more, _not less._

 _That I'm more than a partner._

 _Yes, you are_. She wanted to tell him, but she had gotten so stuck in the hurt, the pain. And now she would never be able to take it back. Her chest started heaving as she felt it harder to breathe, her sobs getting worse as the realization of what had happened started to come to her senses. _I lost him. And he took my heart with him_ _._

Castle wasn't sure how long he sat there, outside her door, but he knew he _shouldn't_ stay. He knew that yet he couldn't go. It felt impossible. It was as though he couldn't move. He'd had no intentions of staying seated there on the floor at all, let alone staying long enough for her to find him.

"C-Castle?" her voice was rough but her tone was nothing more than a whimper.

 _Was she crying?_ Looking up at her he could definitely see the evidence of that. Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were glistening with the remnants of tears. Castle looked away, down to be more exact, because he knew she had expected him to be gone. Hell, _he_ _'_ d expected him to be gone. He heard the door shut again and he imagined she'd gone back inside, there was no way she wanted to see him anymore. _Which is my cue to leave_. That's why he was so taken back that his whole body flinched when she suddenly slid down beside him, her back against the same wall as him.

"How di… how did it go so wrong?" she said, not louder than a small whisper and he turned his head carefully to look at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice hoarse and he knew by the look on her face she could tell he'd been crying.

She cleared her throat and he could see she was purposefully keeping her eyes in front of her in order to not look at him. He wasn't sure if it was because she didn't _want_ to see him or if it just _hurt_ too much to look at him. _Or maybe she's afraid she won't be able to keep a straight face_.

"This." She said. "Us." He stayed quiet, tried to think, and before he could fathom an answer he heard her taking a deep breath. "It wasn't supposed to be this hard. It wasn't suppo… I was healing, I was trying to be more…" she swallowed hard. "I want to be more than who I am before we… became a _we_." This had her looking up at him, her eyes watery and begging him to stay. If he read it right, that is.

"You… why would you think you needed to be more? You're perfect." The words escaped his mouth before he could really think them through, and he could tell she got embarrassed. Her eyes turned down, focusing on her hands in her lap, while her cheeks got a slight blush.

"I'm not perfect," she mumbled and he was about to argue when he stopped himself. There was something else his brain just registered.

"You wanted us to become a we, you're… do you…" he wasn't sure how he was supposed to ask, and was both relieved and glad he didn't have to.

"Yes." She took a deep breath before looking into his eyes again, those blues that kept pulling her deeper in every time she got stuck in them. "I love you too."

It was only a whisper, barely louder than a breath, but the immediate joy in his heart, the immediate skip of a beat, had his lips pulling up in a big grin. Without thinking, because who could really think when the love of your life reciprocate your feelings?, he leaned down and crashed his lips to hers. Kissing her was more addicting than he thought possible. That kiss in that alley almost a year earlier was nothing compared to this one. He was surprised when her hand landed on his chest, because she wasn't pushing him away, she was trailing her hand upwards. It was tickling feeling her hand against his naked neck as her fingers traveled up and into his hair, massaging his scalp as she was kissing him back. She tasted of something sweet, something entirely of _her_ , and he knew he was addicted to her taste already. When they pulled away it wasn't because they were done, but because air became a necessity to not pass out. Their lips didn't go far though, her fingers in his hair holding him still as their foreheads rested against one another's. Their breaths became a mix in between them and Castle couldn't help but nudge her lips with his every now and then.

"I'm sorry I kept secrets, sorry I didn't tell you," Castle mumbled and he opened his eyes to search hers, though they were closed.

"I'm sorry too, but I'm not… I can't just let it go, Castle," she said and he noticed tears escape her closed eyes.

He let his hand go to her cheek, wiping away the tears on that side as he caressed her smooth skin.

"We'll find a way," he promised. "We'll find the man who murdered your mother, but we'll do it quietly. We have to do it quietly. I can't lose you," his voice broke on the last sentence and she nodded slightly.

"And I can't lose you," she whispered before leaning her head back a little to claim his lips in another kiss.

This kiss turned deeper, hotter, messier, and before he knew it he was kissing down her neck, and she found herself whimpering at the electricity shooting down her veins. It didn't surprise any of them that they eventually ended up in her bed, naked and in full bliss. But not before he'd showed her exactly how much he loved her, showering her with kisses everywhere, even on her scar. _Especially_ on her scar. After that evening they weren't two halfs anymore, they became one with each other.

 _ **THE END**_


	6. Morning sweetness

Castle wakes up to the sun sneaking into his bedroom. Slowly he turns around, knowing his partner would most likely already be up or at least awake. She was always awake before him. So imagine his surprise when he turns around and sees her body slumped against the mattress, her eyes still closed and her breathing evidence she's still asleep. _God, she's beautiful_. And he still can't believe she's with him. He still thinks about that night she came to his doorstep, confessing she just wanted him. It still amazes him every time he wakes up and she's there, in his bed. Or he wakes up in hers. He doesn't even care where he wakes up anymore, as long as it's next to her.

The sun is making her hair glow and he finds himself lifting his hand in order to carefully move a stray of it out of her face. He's relieved she doesn't seem to flinch or notice his touch, doesn't want to wake her. He rarely wakes before her and the few times he does his only desire is to watch her, to take all of her in. He loves the way her hair glows, the way her naked and exposed skin glows, in the morning sun. After a night of intimate touches he loves waking up to the both of them still being naked underneath the sheets. Loves how she often lays on her belly, leaving her bare shoulders and sometimes her back exposed for his eyes to roam. That's kind of how he noticed her tattoo for the first time. The morning after her suspension started they'd somehow thrown the sheets off her bed during the night, most likely due to the two of them being hot from all the sex, and he'd woken before her to see the sun hitting her exposed back. Right there, on her lower back to the right, he'd seen a small silhouette of an elephant staring back at him.

Her small hum brings him back to the now and he can't help but smile. His fingers gently, almost hovering, starts tracing patterns onto her exposed shoulder, eliciting another small hum of contentment. His smile widens and he scoots a bit closer to her body, sees the smile her lips turn up in. He has a feeling she loves these kinds of mornings too. Leaning closer he lets his lips connect with her skin in a careful kiss.

"Hmm, morning," she hums and he chuckles at the sleepiness in her voice.

"Morning beautiful," he finds himself uttering the words before he can think them through. Castle knows she hates nicknames, has hated them before, but he silently hopes it'll be different with him.

She sighs in a pleased tone and Castle can't help but trace his lips along her skin in small kisses. Kate Beckett is glowing and he finds her irresistible for it, has found it irresistible for quite some time. He can't believe that, after shadowing her for four years, she is finally in his arms. Letting him touch her. Letting him know her story. Letting him be a part of it. He's so in awe of her. His feelings only growing stronger for each day that passes.

"Thank god I'm off duty today," she mumbles and he chuckles against her skin.

"Mhmm," he hums. "You know, you look like an angel in this morning glow." He can't stop himself from saying it and from the chuckle and blushed cheeks he can tell she won't kill. _Not this time at least._

Soft Kate Beckett is one of his favorite to greet in the mornings. He can't wait till he can tell her he loves her again. He hasn't dared utter the words since she showed up at his front door, doesn't want to scare her away again.

Kate opens her hazel eyes and he gets stuck in them as his fingers keep tracing her skin. He feels her shiver beneath his touch and isn't surprised when she starts shrugging her body in order to get a hand between herself and the mattress, pushing herself onto her elbows.

"I like mornings with you, more than I thought I would," she whispers before leaning down to kiss his lips with hers.

He moans as he kisses her back and it doesn't take long before her naked chest connects to his, her leg sneakily bends over to land a knee on the other side of his body. He likes mornings with her too. Can't wait to spend the rest of his life with mornings surrounding her, around _them_. He pushes her body in a slow twirl, landing carefully on top of her. He wants to make love to her like this as often as he can. Wants to love her for the rest of his life.

 _ **THE END**_


	7. Hotel room

Kate Beckett sat at the hotel room, waiting for her partner... _boyfriend_ to finish his book signing. While she sat in there she kept thinking how surreal everything felt. When Rick Castle, the famous author and her partner for the last four years, invited her to join him on his small tour she didn't think she'd accept. They hadn't been together for that long and honestly it was still all so new. She _had_ said no, at first, but then she'd started to think about how she would be going a full week without him if she didn't. It's not that she couldn't make it, _of course_ she could go a full week without seeing him, _even longer_ if she had to because there was no way she was depending on him. She could be on her own! But that didn't mean she wanted to. Not anymore. Not with him. If it had been any other past boyfriend she'd had no trouble but with him it was… different. _Real_.

Kate tried to concentrate on the book she held in her hands, but she couldn't help but get distracted by the high quality of the room. It was so beautiful, so peaceful, and _so out of her league_. If she'd been the one paying for the hotel this had _not_ been what she'd been able to go for. She felt out of place. This wasn't hers. It was his. And she wasn't sure how she should feel about it. This life of his, rich and comfortable and fancy… Kate wasn't sure how she fit into it. She was just a cop, nothing special really. She was a _broken_ cop even, having gotten shot over a year ago because she couldn't stop obsessing over her dead mother's case. How was she ever supposed to fit into his world? Or perhaps she just simply wouldn't. And it all would've been for nothing. Perhaps they would end and she would have her heart completely broken for the second time this lifetime.

Kate drew in a sob through her mouth, her nose not breathable due to the sobs. Her eyes were waterfilled and she felt a few tears slip down her cheeks. God, she was a mess. She shouldn't have come here. If she hadn't she wouldn't have started thinking about how it didn't make sense. Why would a famous writer choose her to begin with? Sure, they'd had some tense moments in the beginning, even sexual banter, but then he'd gotten to know her and it wasn't just about the looks anymore. He knew she was broken, and he wanted her anyway. At least for now.

The sound of a card being swiped and a beep had her quickly wiping her cheeks to get rid of the tears. This trip had been supposed to be happy with her getting a glimpse into his world. Not filled with thoughts of how she really didn't fit in.

"Hey beautiful," Rick said as he opened the door and walked through. When their eyes met though she could see he saw right through the smile she plastered on. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said hoarsely and cleared her throat, silently cursing herself for not clearing it earlier. "Just uh… an emotional scene," she quickly excused by waving the book she still held.

He looked at her in disbelief. There was no way she was getting out of this one, was there? With a sigh she put her bookmark into the book and put it on the table beside her.

"It's… weird… _feels_ weird, being here," Kate started, shaking her head. How was she supposed to say what she was feeling when she wasn't as good with words as he was? "I mean… you're this world famous author who stays at fancy hotels while book tours and signings and I… I'm just this… cop."

Rick's eyes widened before they narrowed in thought and Kate suddenly wondered if she hadn't just made it all worse. What if this would be it? He would now realize what a cliché this whole relationship was and walk away. _Fuck_ , her eyes stung again. But she wouldn't let the tears drop. Her whole body stiffened as she prepared for the rejection.

"Kate," he said low as his shoulders slumped a bit and he walked to sit down on the couch beside her. She felt her heart pounding as he carefully snaked his fingers between hers. Feeling his skin against hers made her heart ache for the touch she was about to lose. "You're not just a cop, Kate. You're extraordinary. I know this," he gestured around with his free hand, "is a lot but… there's no other woman I would rather share it with."

She felt as though her heart stopped as her eyes snapped up to his blues. They were so gentle and so honest she felt as though her insides melted.

"But we don't make sense," she said with a slow shake of her head.

He thought for a few seconds before he hummed in an agreeing tone. "No, we don't." She felt her heart sink again. "But none of the greater love stories do. Who says we have to make sense to end up forever?" he questioned and before she could answer he leaned in and kissed her lips. "The way I feel when our lips touch," he kissed her lips again, as if to prove his point. "The tingles, the quickening of my heart, the peace and feeling of home, it proves to me that we belong together."

Kate could feel that too. She hadn't been able to put words on it like he did, _then again he was the writer_ , but she definitely felt it too. He nudged her lips with his again, not kissing to let her decide. And she did. The kiss deepened and before any of them knew it they were moving to the hotel bed, that _damn comfortable bed_ , and Kate's body sunk into the mattress as his sunk into hers. He was right. They might not make sense on paper, or to anyone else, but to them they did. They did make sense. Together.

 _ **THE END**_


	8. Earth Day

Kate Beckett sees her father's cabin coming into view as her husband turns another corner in the beautiful forest.

"Wow." Three small voices say with wonder in them and Kate can't help but feel her heart swell.

"Yeah, wow," her husband agrees and Kate looks towards the writer.

Rick Castle always tells her how beautiful the forest is and she can't understand how she was so lucky to find him. _Or maybe he found her?_ They had gone on and on about that question some days in the beginning of their marriage, especially when their first born had asked who was in love with whom first.

"Mom, are we really staying here?" Lily Beckett Castle asks from the backseat and Kate turns around with a bright smile set on her lips.

"We are hon. Your grandma and grandpa used to take me here every Earth Day when I was a kid, and we'd usually stay here a week before turning back to the city," she tells her five-year-old.

The twins aren't more than two years old but the looks of amazement mirroring in their eyes tells her they did the right thing by going here. Rick had been the one to suggest it after a night of old memories being brought to life after he found her hidden box with old photos. There were photos of young Kate enjoying the peaceful forest and when Rick had asked her about it she'd told him how her parents took her out to the cabin every Earth Day to celebrate the planet they lived on. Rick had then asked why she hadn't told him about this tradition, how come she hadn't tried implemented it on their small, _big_ , family yet. Despite how they tried not to think about time going by too fast their oldest _is_ five. Kate had shrugged her shoulders saying she'd forgotten about it.

"Big trees!" Reece yells as he laughs excitedly.

"Can we climb, momma?" Jake continues bringing out his puppy eyes in the exact moment as his brother does.

Kate chuckles and shakes her head. "Maybe," she says, already having a few trees in mind they can climb as best they like.

The two boys give out joyous shouts as their sister holds her hands over her ears with a grin showing her own excitement.

Rick stops the car and they all help carrying their stuff into the cabin, the kids taking their pillows while Kate and Rick takes the rest.

* * *

After having spent their day exploring the forest and all its secrets Kate and Rick gathers their kids around a small bonfire where they eat as they let the kids talk about their day.

"Papa, what is Earth Day?" Lily asks after a story of Rick's.

Kate looks at Rick with interest in her eyes, wondering how he will use his words to describe the day's importance. How he would make sure to say it isn't just _this_ day, but every day, even if there was only one specific day named for it.

"Well, it's a day when the whole world goes together to help the Earth. You can donate money, you can help clean the nature, you can help clean the seas. There's a lot of things we can do to help Earth, and it's not only today. We can help Earth every day." He says, scrunching his nose. "I'm not exactly the best to describe it."

Kate smiles, "It's difficult to explain peanut. The importance of it is taking time to see Earth, see our nature, see what we can do to help, and actually help. Your dad have donated a lot, and together we try do what we can every day to help Earth."

"Like draw on both sides?" Reece asks.

"And not draw to throw away drawings?" Jake adds.

"To think about the trees being chopped down?" Lily says and both parents nod.

"Exactly," Rick agrees. "If we use paper when we don't need it then we use a lot of trees which the Earth could've needed."

"Recycling is another way of helping Earth," Kate adds and the kids shines.

"And we do!" they all shout simultaneously and both parents chuckle.

"Mhmm," Kate hums. "And if we try better, always improving, always thinking about or actions, we can enjoy Earth like this." She waves her hand around them and they all look at the trees, the forest.

"A world without trees, without the nature, would be dull. Boring. Hopefully it'll never go that far." Rick looks at the fire, silently hoping their kids would never find themselves in a fallen world.

"Hope is what keeps it alive. Hope and hard work," Kate says, hoping the same as her husband. "We need to start understanding that Earth isn't a place to visit. It's a place we call home."

Kate knows it's not enough to just talk about it, not enough to just go visit the family cabin, but she also knows her kids needs to feel the nature, the Earth, in order to feel the need to protect it. She hopes they can do this trip every year, maybe the constant reminder will help them help Earth. Together. _As a family with the Earth as their home._

 ** _THE END_**

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _I know this little piece isn't great, not even good, but I wanted to give you_ some _thing and I figured it's Earth Day sooo... Happy Earth Day to you all. Don't forget to think of our Earth. If you haven't heard the new song Earth by Lil Dicky (featuring about 30 other artists) I suggest you do. Have a great day. Until next time, xxxx_


	9. Early bright

Kate slowly wakes to his fingers lightly tapping her nose and she groans in displeasure.

"Castle, I _will_ shoot you," she mumbles but he just chuckles as his fingers start tracing patterns on her face, following her features in a way he's done ever since the beginning of their relationship. It's kind of nice though and she sighs with contentment.

"Better?" He keeps his voice low, gentle, but doesn't bother to actually whisper now that she's awake.

She hums and feels his continuation of patterns. They're slow, gentle and soothing, almost making her fall asleep again. Before she does she feels the mattress dip a little as he leans closer and nudges her lips with his.

"Castle," she mumbles in a warning. "Too tired."

He chuckles again and for the first time that morning she forces one of her eyes open to peek up at him. He's looking at her with love and adoration in his blue eyes and there's nothing at all indicating he had anything sexual in mind. _Oh_. He's simply enjoying the morning with her in their bed.

"Did you sleep okay?" he asks, his fingers continuing their patterns and she smiles with a blush appearing on her cheeks.

"I did yeah," she whispers.

His smile brightens and he leans forward to kiss her lips again, this time she returns the kiss. She loves mornings in bed with him too. As soon as their lips part she snuggles closer to him, putting her head on his chest. Hearing his heartbeat in the process, and she takes note of how in sync it is to her own. They truly are lost cases when it comes to one another. Too in love for their own good. And to think it all had started with him being an annoying shadow she couldn't get rid off. After a few minutes of simple cuddles, and small touches of fingers meeting naked skin, she felt him take in a deep breath before opening his mouth.

"So, do you want to sleep a bit longer or help me make breakfast for the baby terrorists?"

She can't help but chuckle at the description. _Yes_ , they were all over the place at times but they were definitely not _that_ destructive. They just had a lot of… energy. And curiosity. The fact that they had destroyed one oven, three lamps and one projector didn't mean they were terrorists. Just curious about all the buttons and what happens when you pull a cord to see where it ends.

"I'll help you," she says smiling as she raises in order to kiss his lips before pulling away to get up. "And who knows, maybe Lily and the twins are already up, making breakfast on their own."

His face widens in horror and she laughs, kisses him again and pulls him up, leaving a fool's grin on his lips. Before she can go out of their bedroom he grabs her hand and pulls her closer again, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I love you," he says with his eyes looking into hers. "You and our baby terrorists."

She bites her lip on another laugh. "I love you too Castle, you and our babies."

 ** _THE END_**


	10. I need to go

Kate Beckett woke up like every other day. Went up like every other day. Did her morning routine like every other day. However this wasn't quite like every other morning, though. She stopped to look at the figure still asleep in her bed. The smile tugging at her lips was a smile she never more denied, unless it was back at the precinct and it would risk getting them caught. She hadn't been back at work for long, still it was harder than she thought to keep her hands off of him during the day. Perhaps it was wrong to spend all that time with him while she was suspended. She'd gotten so used to him and his touch now that she could barely go a minute without it.

Now, looking at him, sound asleep and so peaceful, she wished she didn't have to go to work today. Especially not since he won't be in until later on. She was most likely staring for far too long before she caught herself and decided she had a little more time than she thought from the beginning. Carefully she sneaked her way to the bedside he'd been sleeping on yet again. Without really thinking she sat down on her knees in order to lay her head beside his, her fingers carefully tracking the lines in his face. It didn't take long before his eyes fluttered open, peeking up on her to make sure nothing was wrong, before they closed again and he let go of a contented hum.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered but his lips pulled up in a smile.

"'S ok, best way wake up," he slurred and she couldn't stop the small chuckle.

She continued tracing his skin with her fingertips and didn't hesitate to lean forward to put her lips onto his forehead, giving him a small peck.

"Work soon?" he asked and she hummed.

"Go back to sleep, I'll see you later."

To her surprise he shook his head.

"Don't go," he pleaded. "Not yet."

She tangled her fingers into his thick and soft hair, giving him a little bit of massage, before she opened her mouth on a sigh. "You know I have to."

"No," he mumbled. "I have money. I can feed you."

She wrinkled her nose. "You mean like being my sugar daddy?"

His eyes flew open and his nose cringed as much as hers did. "When you say it like that. No."

She chuckled at his response and saw the big smile on his lips as he moved closer in order to give her a proper kiss. Which, _of course_ , only made her want to stay more. The kiss ended with a few pecks as she tried to pull away. _Tried_ since she really didn't want to.

"I need to go to work," she reminded him again but felt his hand gently cup her cheek to pull her closer again. Their lips touched again and she couldn't help but moan at the feel of his tongue asking for entrance. "Castle," she meant to say it in warning but it came out more as a moan and she didn't stop him when he started to pull her up into the bed, pulling her to lie on top of him as he continued to kiss her.

It felt too good to stop. His hands travelled down, one staying at the small of her back while the second gently squeezed her bum, making her gasp.

"Don't go," Castle mumbled against her lips and she sighed with frustration. "Call in sick."

"Can't Castle, I was on leave for a month."

"I know," he sighed as he slowed down the kiss with his hands landing on her back, snuggling her close.

Once their lips parted she snuggled into his neck, breathing in his scent, and let go of a sigh of contentment. She laid like that for a couple of minutes, before she glanced at the clock and pulled away to peck his lips one last time before she climbed off of him.

"I gotta go," she said, pecking his lips again. "I'll call you if there's a body."

He hummed and looked at her with loving eyes. "And if not I'll be there with your daily coffee in a couple hours."

She smiled at that, still couldn't quite believe he was hers. "You better, writerboy."

He chuckled. "See you later, muse." He winked his eye and she rolled hers without ever losing the smile.

It didn't take her long to get out of her apartment and down to her car. Not one second went by without her thoughts being on the man still lying in her bed. Even when she started driving to work she continued to smile like a fool, thinking of him.

She knew she was a goner. And she secretly loved it.

* * *

 _ **A/N: so sorry for the bad updating! I've had a lot going on lately and I see no end to it *cry* but I promise I AM trying! I've written a small bit on a chapter two of "Flight Delayed" and I will try my hardest to finish it soon!**_

 _ **Anyway, lots of love from me! until next time, xxxx**_


	11. Call in sick

_Prompt: Beckett calls in sick, Castle goes to find out what's wrong with her. S2_

* * *

Castle stands in front of her door, contemplating whether it's really his place to visit her like this. Then again, he can't just leave her! They said she was sick. _She's never sick!_ Even Esposito and Ryan says so. Coming in that morning he'd been surprised hearing she'd called in sick. Montgomery had said he could stay if he wanted to as long as he didn't piss off Ryan or Esposito. Which he kind of did since he'd immediately started questioning them about Beckett's health. She hadn't been sick in the two years he'd been shadowing her and that fact alone hadn't even occurred to him. _How the hell has she never been sick?_ Or has she but never told him? Maybe she's been sick but taken the pill and gone to work anyway. Who knows?

As he's standing outside of her door he's still thinking about whether she's going to be pissed about him being there or if she will actually accept his help. They've grown closer ever since that offer of three more Nikki Heat books. He feels as though she genuinely would've missed him if he'd gone off with the 007-offer. She's looked at him differently. He hopes it's for the better. Hopes he's seeing right. But those looks doesn't necessarily mean she'll be happy he's here now.

With another deep intake of air he knocks on the door and awaits. And waits. And waits. Suddenly he gets a frightening vision in his mind. _What if she's tripped and hit her head?_

Just when he's about to consider kicking in the door, or try to pick the lock, the door slowly swings open.

"Castle?"

Her voice is an immediate tell her nose is stuffed, her eyes are puffy with tiredness and her cheeks are a bit flushed with the fever she evidently has.

"What are you doing here?" She sniffles and if it hadn't been for how worried he is he would've found her adorable.

"They-eh said you called in sick," he says, dumbfoundedly.

"No shit, doesn't explain why you're here," she sneezes and picks up a tissue.

 _True_. "I was... worried. You're never sick."

Castle tries to act as normal as possible, as if it's not at all weird that he shows up without calling or anything first. Beckett puts her hands around her chest, as if she's cold, and moves to the side as she nods her head for him to walk inside. He doesn't hesitate, because if he does he's afraid she'll change her mind.

"I'm not never sick, Castle," she sighs. "It just doesn't happen very often." She shrugs her shoulders and but he can see that simple movement made her cringe. _She looks exhausted_.

"Have you eaten anything today?" he questions, looking at her weakened body. He can tell she doesn't have the strength she usually has by seeing the small wobble in her legs.

"Don't worry about that," she says, waving her hand in front of her in a dismissive matter.

It doesn't take him two seconds to think before he opens his mouth again. "I'll make you my famous chicken soup. Let me see."

As he roams her kitchen for the ingredients she tries to argue but doesn't have the strength to do that either. Triumphantly he starts with the soup when he, with his most surprise, has found all the ingredients he needs. He takes note of her wandering away from the kitchen, probably due to being too tired to shoo him away, and he sees her slump down in her couch. As he prepares the soup he continues to steal glances of her, watching how she wraps herself into a soft blanket and puts her head against the armrest. He can even tell when she starts to drift away, breathing deep and sound asleep as he pours all the ingredients together in order to put it on the stove. She must have a really high fever to let her guard down _this_ much when he's in her apartment. While the soup gets heated up he carefully tip goes over to her, very gently laying his wrist against her forehead to feel it is indeed very warm. She doesn't move a muscle. Which both worries and relieves him. He doesn't want to get shot at due to crossing any lines but at the same time the fact that she's not really on guard makes him wonder how bad of a fever she really has. He walks back to check the soup to find it ready and so he starts looking through her cabinets until he finds a bowl and a spoon. As soon as he's found it he pours the soup into the bowl and starts walking back to the couch. He sets it onto the table before he sits down on his knees, placing himself in front of her and his hand gently touches her arm.

"Kate?" he whispers. "The soup is ready."

Her body squirms a little as she hums her confusion. When her eyes flicker open they look at him with surprise embedded in the green flecks of her hazels.

"Castle? What're you doin'ere?" she mumbles and he has to refrain himself from stroking her cheek the way his fingers want to.

"I made you chicken soup, it'll make you feel better," he turns slightly in order to take the bowl with said soup.

"Not hungry," she rumbles and he's starting to realize he might have to feed her to make sure she eats.

"Come on, you need to eat." She closes her eyes with stubborness. He sees no other way. "If you don't eat yourself I'm going to feed you," he threatens and her eyes immediately pop open, narrowing.

"You wouldn't."

He smirks, knowing it would work. "I will." He picks up the spoon with some chicken on it and starts moving it towards her mouth. To his outmost delight she sighs but shrugs herself up a bit until she's halfway sitting up. To his outmost _surprise_ she doesn't take the spoon from him but simple pulls the blanket closer around her as she opens her mouth. He doesn't hesitate despite his surprise and immediately feeds her, once again wondering how high her fever actually is in order for her to allow him to do this. Without another word he keeps feeding her, and she lets him, until the soup is all gone and that's when he notices the reddish color on her cheeks. She's _blushing_. He's not sure he's ever seen her blushing before, and he's not sure of the _why_. But he's _curious_. Not only because she's blushing but because the fact makes his insides tingle with a small excitement he's not used to.

"Thanks, but you don't need to waste more time on me, Castle." She's not looking him in his eyes and he suddenly gets the feeling it's because she doesn't want him to see how badly she wants him there. _He's got nowhere to be anyway_.

"Don't be ridiculous," he says and her eyes immediately snap to his in a surprised manner. "Who's gonna be your home-sick-buddy?" he questions and he can swear he sees the corners of her lips twitch for a smile.

"My home-sick-buddy?" she asks and he sees it's getting harder for her not to smile.

"Yeah, you know, 'oh no I'm home sick I don't wanna be alone, oh look I can call my buddy and we can watch tv together all day'," he makes the most dramatic impression of a teenager he can muster and she actually starts laughing. _Kate Beckett_ is laughing. At _him_. _He made her laugh_. He can't stop the warm feeling from spreading inside his body as he feels pride overwhelming him.

"You're an idiot," she shakes her head before she starts coughing. This time he can't help it but reaches out his hand in order to softly rub her back, trying to soothe her body in the only way he can.

"Well," he swallows hard, "I'm your idiot."

He only mumbles it but can see by the way her eyes flicker to him that she's caught on. Not meeting her eyes he's just waiting for the 'get out' to leave her lips. It would come just any second now, and she'll demand him to not return to the precinct ever again. He won't survive it, but he will listen to her this time. He's decided that if she doesn't want him there, f _or real doesn't want him there_ , he won't push anymore. A small movement peaks his interest and he looks at her just in time to see her teeth sink into her lower lip, her eyes looking at him shyly before she once again pulls the blanket closer to her body and relaxes into the cushions of the couch.

"Yeah you are." He only just hears it before she nods towards the empty space beside her. "If you're gonna be my home-sick-buddy you should sit down and get ready, because there's no way I'm changing the show I'm watching."

Castle doesn't hesitate before he sits down beside his partner, tries his best not to make it more weird than it technically already is. "Which show were you watching?"

"If you laugh, I'll kick you out," she threatens as she pushes the button to light up the small tv in front of them.

He looks at the screen and states, "Temptation Lane. Interesting choice."

He's not sure, can't be sure without reading her mind, but in his peripheral view it looks like she's satisfied with his reaction. As if the reaction had been the first test out of many to see if he would accept her as she is. He couldn't dream of a world when there would be _anything_ of her that could push him away. He was there to stay. As long as she would let him.

 ** _The_** _ **End**_


	12. Poke you? I wanna kiss you

_Prompt: What if she did just that?_

* * *

"God, Castle," Kate Beckett sighed with frustration as she put her head in her hands. She took another second before she raised and took off in the direction she'd seen him disappeared to.

"So, what happened?" Richard Castle asked and she felt the anger in her rise.

She went up to him and poked him hard in his chest.

"Ow!"

"I was trying to keep him from seeing you and so I pushed too hard and he made me," her voice was stinging with anger and she poked him again, harder this time. "He called me green, Castle. What the hell were you doing?"

He put his hands up as if to protect his chest from her finger. "I saw his phone in the cabana.I thought it was worth the risk."

"You took his phone?" Her anger dissipated and turned into small fear. _If he found out his phone was gone..._

"No! No, I took a picture of his recent call list," Castle said and she immediately shone with happiness. _This could be the break they'd been looking for._

"What?" Before she knew what she was even doing she grabbed his face and pulled him down to kiss his lips. She could feel the shock through his lips and she suddenly realized what she was doing. She let go of him and ran her hand through her hair, clearing her throat with embarrassment evident on her cheeks. "Where is it?" she asked instead of addressing what she'd just done.

"Don't-don't poke me," he stuttered.

"Poke you?" she furrowed her eyes and realized what she'd done before she kissed him. "Oh, no, I'm not going to poke you."

"Okay, here," he said pulling out his phone.

As she took the phone she felt her breath hitch as their fingers brushed. It took her a few seconds before she could gather her thoughts again and actually accept the phone. Looking down at the numbers she tried to focus. On the case. Not _him_.

"Okay, we need to run down these numbers, see if we can trace one of them to Ganz's buyer," she said and tried to avoid looking up at him.

"Okay, now can we call Seeger?" he said and even though his voice indicated he was as confused as she was about what had happened he still managed to sound a bit more secure than she felt.

"Yeah."

* * *

On the flight back to New York while her partner was sound asleep next to her Kate took the opportunity to read the letter her former mentor had written to her before he died. It didn't really take her that long to read, but the words made it hard for her to think. Her thoughts kept leaping back to the kiss she'd taken the initiative to make happen. It hadn't felt like anything she'd felt before. Sure, it had been brief, _too brief_ , but it had stuck with her. It was actually one of the things keeping her from shooting Gantz. Because how was she supposed to be able to kiss him again through the glass in a prison. Not that she was planning on kissing him again. _Who are you kidding, kid_ , a voice whispered in her head, Royce's voice. _You and Castle has something special, don't run from it._

 _Damnit_. She hated that he was right. _Hated_ that he was still affecting her even from his grave. At the same time she couldn't exactly put all the blame on him. She'd denied her feelings for her partner for so long she knew it would come crashing back at her some day. They'd technically kissed one time before, but it had been to distract a guard. Sure, that kiss had totally messed with her head as well but… this one had been spontaneous, and it had been her who did it, not him. And she hadn't even thought about what she was doing until it had been too late. That's the way she'd always imagined kisses would be like between two people who were really into it together, people who would always stay together, people who were so in sync they could tell what the other was thinking without even asking. _People who speak the same thing at the same time?_ She looked down at his letter again.

‹‹The last thing you want to do is look back on your life and wonder… If only.››

He kind of had a point. At times she couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if she'd accepted that first invitation to a dinner after their first case. Or even what would've happened if she'd just accepted the invitation to the Hamptons and declined Demming before it had even gotten as far as it had done. _Maybe it was time she changed that._

She looked over at her sleeping partner. He looked so peaceful. He hadn't even questioned her about the kiss, hadn't mentioned it, and she wondered if that was her fault. She never talked about stuff, and he'd gotten so used to that. So used to it that he never really spoke about his own feelings. Folding the letter back to its original state she put it into her bag, making sure it would follow her home no matter what, and then glanced towards his hand in his lap. Without thinking too much she reached out and carefully snaked her fingers around his.

"Huh?" He grunted low and his eyes fluttered open to find hers.

She tried smiling small at him, hoping her gesture was enough, enough for now. He looked a tad bit confused at first, glancing down at their hands before his eyes locked with hers. Without further communication he carefully bent forward to kiss her forehead and she closed her eyes at the sudden feeling of comfort. As soon as his lips left her skin she looked up at him to smile before she leant her head on his shoulder. This was enough for now, gestures were enough. They would talk once they got home, and somehow it felt like it would all be okay.

 ** _The End_**


	13. Pfft Like we're afraid of Beckett

_Prompt: What if Beckett got to the phone first in 5x04._

* * *

"Yeah, until you're bagging their mangled bodies when Beckett finds out," Castle said and Kate looked at him with a grateful expression, knew he could see the frustration and irritation in it too.

"Pfft. Like we're afraid of Beckett," Esposito huffed and Kate felt her insides start fuming again.

"Besides, how's she gonna find out?" Ryan said and Kate attacked the phone before she could think.

"Listen jackasses, it's none of your damn business who I'm dating. Stay out of my love life! I mean it!" Kate growled into the phone, so sick and tired of her brothers' attempts at always figuring her life out. _It was enough Castle did that._

"Beckett?!" _Fuck_.

Both Ryan and Esposito had made the outburst and she could hear the chaos of their thoughts from her position in the Hamptons. She clenched her eyes shut with frustration and regret.

"What are you doing in the Hamptons?" Esposito questioned and she felt a hand carefully landing on the small of her back.

Turning around she saw Castle looking at her with apologizing eyes, as if it was his fault. _It wasn't_ _._ Gently he took the phone from her and put on speaker phone again, so both of them could hear what was going on.

"Wait, Castle? _That's_ who you can't tell us you're dating?" Ryan said accusingly and she could hear rustling in the back.

"Girl, I'mma smack you! You didn't tell me it was Castle!" Lanie's voice came out of the speaker and it sounded offended. _Shit_. "When the hell did this happen?"

Kate tried to take deep breaths, tried to keep herself calm. "Don't tell Gates." It was the only thing she could think about. If they told their captain Castle would be kicked out and Kate wasn't sure she could handle not working with her partner anymore. Not that she needed him in a sense she couldn't do her work without him, but in a sense that she wouldn't have as fun as she did with him there. Captain Montgomery had been right all those years ago when he said she wasn't having any fun until he joined the team.

"Wh… Of course not!" Lanie exclaimed and then it sounded like she hit someone.

"Ow!" Esposito called out and Lanie said something in spanish.

"Listen guys, can we concentrate on the case," Castle interrupted and Kate felt grateful for talking about something else.

"What case?" Ryan asked and Kate sighed with relief.

"Yesterday when we were at the pool a guy came stumbling, he'd been shot and fell into the pool," Castle explained.

"Seriously, Castle? What, are you in in an episode of Murder, She wrote?" Ryan teased.

"More like Murder, He wrote, but unfortunately, unlike Jessica Fletcher, the local police Chief, not a friend of mine. And I think he may have the wrong guy. So, I need you guys to question the victim's wife in the city, find out what she knows," Castle explained their agenda for making the call.

"Mm. That's a pretty big favor to ask, Castle," Esposito started and Kate could sense how Castle groaned without actually making a noise. "We're gonna need something in return."

"The Ferrari," Castle stated with a heavy tone and Kate looked at him with furrowed eyes. _They asked for something in return like that?_

She started wondering if they did that often, the way Castle knew they wanted the Ferrari indicated it, and she felt herself get angry again.

"For a week," Ryan bargained.

"Each!" Esposito jumped in and Kate narrowed her eyes at the phone, disappointed she weren't actually there to stare at her brothers.

"Seriously? It's a _murder_ guys, you shouldn't even think _twice_ about helping without asking for things in return," she bit off and she could hear the two swallow hard.

"You got us on speaker?" Ryan asked with a small shiver in his voice.

"Bro! Not cool," Esposito complained.

"Either you do this or I will give you a living hell next week," Kate threatened and felt Castle's gaze on her.

When she looked at him she could see the admiration glimpse in his blue eyes and she felt her insides flip. _He truly had held back with how he was seeing her all these years_. She had to look away again in order not to step onto her toes and kiss him. _Later_.

"Fine, we'll do it," Espo agreed.

"Can we at least have the Ferrari for a few days?" Ryan asked and Kate glared at the phone.

"Sure, since you asked so nicely," Castle said and Kate rolled her eyes.

The call ended and she put her hand over her face with a sigh escaping her lungs. "I'm sorry Castle, all this talk about keeping it a secret and I screw up."

"Don't worry about it, at least now you don't have to feel guilty that you haven't told them," Castle said and turned her around within his arms.

Looking up into his eyes she could see the admiration again. And it made her inside tingle. Without much more thought she put her arms around his neck and smiled big when he leaned down to peck her lips. She made a noise of disappointment when he pulled his lips away and pulled him down again. This time the kiss lasted longer, and there might've been some tongue involved before they had to pull apart for air. _Damn, this would be the death of her_. But first they needed to save their weekend.

"Let's go, we have a case to solve."

 _ **The End**_


	14. I'm ready

Kate Beckett lays awake in bed, her hands beneath her cheek as she tries to get a grip on all of her thoughts. Yet another hard case had occurred during the past three days and even though she closed it today she can't stop thinking about it. She also can't stop thinking about how badly she wants her husband to come home already. She hasn't seen him since this morning and that was before she left for work, when he was still sleeping in their bed. The case and the thoughts it ripped open in her mind is taking first place though. Kate hasn't had these thoughts in a long time but now it's like she can't get rid of them, isn't sure if she _wants_ to get rid of them. At the same time they scare the shit out of her and even though she's pretty sure she knows where her husband stands it's still terrifying to picture herself telling him.

Kate's whole body tenses when the sound of a door lock is turned and the door opens only to later close. She knows by the sounds of movements that it's her husband coming home and she bites her lip with her thoughts spiraling. He's home from the book meeting he's been required to be at all day and even though she wants to jump out of the bed in order to run and greet him she holds herself back with her thoughts running wild. Richard Castle, her husband, is trying to be as quiet as he can and she rolls her eyes. He should know by now she wakes up no matter how quiet he is, it's in her cop blood. Once she hears his feet passing the doorway into their bedroom, closing the door behind him, she slightly turns in bed in order to glance up at him.

"You awake?" he whispers and she sees the way his shoulders slump in disappointment, probably thinking he's the one that woke her.

"Yeah, can't sleep," she offers and he moves to her side in order to lean down and kiss her forehead.

She can't help but closes her eyes at the familiar lips against her skin. _God, she loves him_.

"I'll crawl in soon, just give me a minute," he mumbles against her skin before kissing her again in order to leave.

While he's getting ready in the bathroom she feels her heart getting more and more nervous about the confession she needs to get out. It doesn't take longer than maybe five minutes before Castle comes back and joins her under the covers. She doesn't hesitate as she starts moving back towards him and when she feels his arms come around her as he spoons her she feels herself taking a deep calming breath.

"You wanna tell me why you can't sleep?" he whispers carefully into the dark.

She nods, feels his hands tighten around her middle to show support, feels his nose bury itself in her hair. He's probably missed her as much as she's missed him.

"I think I'm ready," she confesses and bites her lip again, wonders if he'll understand.

"Ready for what?" She feels the confusion radiating from his body and would've chuckled if it hadn't been so nerve wrecking for her.

"I mean, I'm ready for something more," she says and just as he starts saying something in the style of a question he quickly shuts up and she feels his body tense with understanding.

"You mean…?"

"Yeah," she nods and his nose starts ventilating in her hair, taking in as much of her scent as he can. "I wanna try start a family."

Without any warning he pulled her body in a way that turned her around and she can finally see the expression on his face. It's even happier than she think she's ever seen it.

"Really?" he asks and she can't help but feeling the tug to mirror his smile.

"Really," she confirms and chuckles when his lips crash onto hers in a tentative kiss.

It doesn't stay tentative for very long, not when she asks permission and he immediately parts his lips to let her tongue join his. She had never thought the taste of someone could be so addictive until that first night with him. Once she knew what he tasted like it was like nothing could ever make her want any other taste. Right now, kissing and tasting and nipping in _their_ bed she's still as addicted as that first time.

When he pulls away she lets go of a disappointed whimper to which he chuckles, his fingers teasing their way under her pj-shirt to tickle her skin in that wonderful way only his fingers could.

"Do I dare ask what made you think of this right now?"

His blues look careful, as if he's afraid that his question might make her change her mind, but they're still loving and curious. Like they always has been whenever he looks at her. She lets her own hand go up to graze his jaw, her thumb start living its own life as she strokes his cheek. She can't help but start imagining a little boy and a little girl, both a mixture of them. She's seen his baby photos, a lot of thanks to his mother, and she knows he's seen hers too. The thought of a baby or two which looks like them turns her whole soul warm with anticipation.

"The case," she answers and he gives her a questioning look. "You know the first suspect was a teenage girl, turns out she was framed, but the way the whole family helped each other in order to prove she wasn't guilty. The way her little brother, who was only five by the way, was the one to find the missing piece to prove her innocence made me realize I want that… that…" she can't seem to find the right word, but of course he already knows which she wants.

"Inexplicable love."

She meets his blues and smiles carefully.

"Yeah."

He leans down to kiss her lips again, ending with pecks before he pulls away again.

"Off the pill you go then," he says in a teasing matter and she chuckles as she nods.

"Yeah, I'll stop. And we can start trying tomorrow," she agrees.

She feels his fingers stroke down her belly, down her belly button, not stopping until they're teasing the hem of her panties. A thought of gratefulness crosses her mind that she chose not to put on pj-pants tonight.

"How about some practice until then?" His voice is smooth and sultry and _oh god_ if it doesn't make her all giddy inside.

Without much more thinking, or talking, she's quick to straddle him. Her lips crashing onto his and turning them both into teasing, moaning, messes.

 _ **THE END**_


	15. Confrontation

**_A/N:_** _This little one shot plays out sometime during 4x20, after Castle has showed up with Jacinda at his side. Enjoy! Until next time, xxxx_

* * *

Kate is so sick of his behavior. So sick and tired of his sudden need to freeze her out. His need to _flaunt_ another woman in front of her face. A _flight attendant_ he's only just met on a flight to _Las Vegas?!_ What the fuck is wrong with him? What the fuck happened? _What did I do?_

She decided yesterday she won't let him get away with this. He'd left for a date with the flight attendant and all day he'd refused telling her what is wrong. And so now she won't give him a choice. An hour ago she texted him to meet her at her place, told him she had a lead that she doesn't want anyone else to find out about just yet, that she wants his opinion on the theory first.

Her heart is pounding in her chest and she keeps catching herself holding her breath. And so she forces herself to take long, deep, calming breaths. _Breathe in. Breathe out_. As the knock sounds through her apartment she feels her veins turn to ice, her body preparing for the absolute worst. Because that's all she can think about. He'll leave her. He's already decided. He doesn't want her anymore. He found out she's too broken, and he's not interested in her anymore.

Taking a deep breath she opens the door with an as neutral face as possible. "Hi Castle, come on in."

"So, what's the new lead Beckett?" he asks as he steps inside.

She bites her inside cheek as she closes the door, gathering strength to just spit it out. She takes another deep breath before slowly turning towards him.

"What's wrong Rick?"

She observes as his back muscles tense, his body freezing. She can only imagine how fast the wheels in his mind spins to try and figure out if she really has a lead or if she just tricked him here.

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong," he turns and she can see the way he's schooling his features carefully.

She feels herself become desperate. _I don't want this fake version of you_. "Why are you pulling away?"

Castle shrugs his shoulders and starts to turn around. "I don't know what you're talking about. I came here, now what's the lead?"

The frustration is starting to take over and she wonders if he can hear it in her voice. "Rick, stop. Just tell me what happened. Wh-what did I do?" Her voice does not only display her frustration, but it also breaks halfway through the last sentence and her mind is cursing her for the slip.

"Nothing." He snaps, with his back turned towards her.

She takes in a shaking breath. "Then why won't you look at me? Why do you ignore all kinds of personal conversations? Why are you taking spontaneous trips to Las Vegas? Why are you going out wi…" she stops herself mid-sentence. She really doesn't want to bring up the flight attendant, she's scared he actually likes the other woman. Scared he's moving on. Scared she missed her chance.

"Why do you care?!" When Castle turns around he's eyeing her with fury in his eyes, his nostrils flaring before he seems to get a control over himself and schools his features. "Actually, don't tell me. I'm done." He throws his hands up in the air and starts moving from the spot he's been standing at, from what it looks like it he's going to walk out on her.

Without much thinking she stands in the way of him, holding her hands out to spread herself as far as she could to not let him pass.

"No," she feels her lower lip quiver.

"No?" he says shocked before anger flashes across his blue eyes. "Get out of the way Beckett."

She somehow finds her voice and it somehow sounds stronger than she feels. "What did I do?!" she demands. She sees his hands clench into fists as if he's still trying to control himself. "It's not fair…"

" _Not fair?!_ " he practically yells and Kate has to take a step back due to the power and anger directed at her, her hands falling to her sides. "That's pretty rich coming from _you_. You _lied_ to me, Kate! For almost a whole _year_! Where's the fairness in that?!"

She's stunned. Looks at him with mouth hanging open and eyes wide, a few seconds later her mouth starts closing and opening. Fishing for words she can't find.

"Just… I'm done, we're done."

Before she can react he's walked around her and is reaching for the door when she turns around. She can feel her heart shatter, can feel an even worse pain than when her mom died. Her mother didn't have a choice when she left her, but the man in front of her, the man who somehow got a hold of her heart, does. And that makes the pain greater than ever before because he's very consciously not choosing her. Her mind is racing with all these questions, all these conversations she's had with the therapist, and her heart beating too fast for her to cope. With her panting in fear and stress she opens her mouth for one last attempt at making him stay.

"I love you too."

Castle halts at the whisper. His hand connected with the door handle, frozen in its movement to push it down and open. It must've been his imagination, he concludes as he shakes his head to clear his thoughts. But then he hears her take a deep breath behind him.

"I love you Rick," Kate says, louder this time. When she saw the way he hesitated she decided to tell him the truth. He'll only stay if he hears the truth. "I-I don't know what I did, but _please_ , I can't… I don't want to lose you."

She stays quiet then. Knows that it's all up to him now. And maybe she waited too long. Maybe he had moved on. Maybe that flight attendant wasn't just a fling. _Fuck that hurts_. Just the simple thought hurts. _So, what if it is the truth?_

"You…" Castle starts turning back around and Kate can both see and feel the confusion radiating from his body. "But you lied."

 _Lied about what?!_ Her frustration picks up again. "What are you _talking_ about?"

Castle thinks about it all, his mind going one ninety as he tries to comprehend everything that just happened. Goes over her words in his mind a dozen times before he can even open his mouth. _Wasn't the reason she lied because she didn't feel the same way?_

"You said you remembered every second of the shooting. To that guy in the bomb-case. You said you remembered everything, yet you said to me you remembered nothing," he finally gets out of him, observing as she takes in this new information. It looks like this just dawns on her, as if she hasn't thought about this before. Which shocks him too.

He observes as she starts fiddling with her fingers, her mind probably racing just as fast as his does, and she opens her mouth multiple times as if she's about to say something but can't find the words.

"I thought you didn't feel the same," he eventually says and her eyes get as wide as he's ever seen them.

"What? No! I just couldn't deal, too broken to handle anything real," she immediately tells but looks down to the ground, as if she's ashamed about it.

 _Is she embarrassed about it?_ He started to think about it. She never did like talking about things that was painful, that might've shown her vulnerability.

"Why didn't you tell me? It wouldn't have changed the way I felt about you," he asks and Kate bites her lower lip. _Felt_. Past tense.

She shrugs her shoulders, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Well, technically I did. In my own kind of way."

The silence falls over the apartment and she looks up to see his forehead in wrinkles as he tries to think hard about something. Not sure what to say and scared he might leave again she stays quiet, thinks it's better if he gets to be the one ending the silence.

"The swings," he mumbles before he meets her hazel green eyes. Kate simply nods. It takes another few minutes before he opens his mouth again. "So, the walls? Are they still…?"

Kate wraps her arms around her chest, hugging herself. "You're already inside them, I don't know for how long but… it's been a while," she confesses no matter how uncomfortable it makes her. She's still afraid he'll choose the 'fun and non-complicated' flight attendant over her. She's still broken goods.

His ocean eyes are searching hers and she wonders what he sees. _Probably the tears just waiting to fall._ Before she can truly react though, his feet are taking quick steps towards her. She only just registers his hands cupping her cheeks before his mouth is on hers. Her heart stops for a split second. Then she can't help but push her lips against his to reciprocate the kiss. Kate feels herself losing her breath, her heart pounding as her lips tingle from the feel of his moving against her. Her arms losen around her as her fingers are itching to touch him. Without thinking, _how can one think when his lips sends electrical waves down her body?_ , her fingers grabs onto the sides of his shirt to pull him closer. Almost simultaneously they both open their mouths and sneaks their tongues out to dance together in a tangle they've never done before but feels so familiar. As if they've done this a million times before.

His phone signal is the moment that breaks the kiss, and Kate feels her cheeks heat up with a new type of blush caused by him. He only smirks at her as she's biting her tingling lip and he reaches for his phone. Kate watches as his smirk turns into a frown when he sees the name on his phone and so she can't help but get worried.

"Hi Jacinda."

The second he says her name Kate feels her blood turn to ice and she starts backing away slowly. She's not sure she wants to hear what he's about to say to the flight attendant, and so she walks to her kitchen and starts pouring the coffee she had put on before he got here in case she didn't dare confront him. Kate isn't sure she's supposed to pour a cup to him too but she does anyway, deep down hoping he'll still choose her.

"Kate?" Castle comes into view and Kate looks up at her partner. "I never actually slept with her, I couldn't."

"Oh," Kate releases a sigh of relief she wasn't aware she was holding. "Then why…"

"I was hurt, and I guess I wanted you to hurt too," he says ashamed. "I'm sorry."

She thinks about it. Picks up his cup of coffee and offers it to him. "I'm sorry too."

His lips turns up into a megawatt smile as he accepts the cup, sending a mirroring smile onto hers. They will be okay. More than okay.

 _ **The End**_


	16. Holiday story

_**A/N:**_ _Okay, so I couldn't stop myself so here's a little something for the Holidays anyway. It's really small though so I hope you enjoy it anyway. Happy Holidays y'all and I wish you a happy new year!_

* * *

"He's the most irritating, sugar rush filled child in a man's body. I couldn't stand him. Worst part? He decided I was interesting enough to follow around, no matter how hard I tried to get rid of him I couldn't. He followed me to work, and after a while that wasn't enough. He started following me outside of work too, bugging me all the time. After a time he let me see his other side too though. He stopped being the uh… the person they described in the tabloids. In moments I got to meet Alexis I saw him as a father and as a much more mature man than he'd been when I first met him at his book party. And after a few years we became friends, and I swear that if anyone had told me that when I first met him I would've laughed at their joke, saying they were completely…"

"But in reality you fell for me the first time you saw me," Castle interrupted and their kids chuckled.

Kate narrowed her eyes at him, a small grin on her face. "You don't even remember what you were like in the beginning. I wanted to shoot you," she argued.

"Mom, it's not nice to shoot people," Reece said matter-of-factly.

"You could go to prison for it," Jake added with a small horror displaying on his face.

"Oh, she'd never do it. Right mom," Lily defended her and Kate laughed.

She really loved their little family. Reece and Jake were almost six now whereas Lily had turned eleven earlier this year. All of them were quite aware of their parents story but every year around the holidays they always wanted to hear a little about how the two met. To Kate's surprise and joy none of them seemed to mind the fact that she had hated their father's guts when they first met. They enjoyed hearing how their story had progressed and honestly, when Castle told the story, so did she.

"Of course not, I'd hate to arrest myself," Kate answered to Lily's question.

"You didn't hesitate to twist my ear or nose though," Castle said while he rubbed his fingers on his ear.

Kate laughed along with the kids and lightly punched his chest. "You deserved it." Castle grabbed her hand and pulled her in, putting his hand on her hip. "Every single time," she added and he chuckled.

"I did." Castle leaned down and pecked her lips, leaving her wanting more.

It was weird how almost fifteen years later he could still leave her wanting him with just the simplest of touches. And to think it had been almost twenty years since they first met, officially that is.

"And you know, your mom was a fan of my books before I started shadowing her," Castle continued to tell the kids and she rolled her eyes as they sat down by the bonfire they'd made together in her father's old cabin. "After I found that out I got her the newest book and even signed it. I also made sure to let her know just how great she was by dedicating all her books to her. I even think I shocked her with that first dedication," he looked at her and she just smiled at the memory. _He'd called her extraordinary._

Kate snuggled into his comfy chest and listened to him telling their kids the story. She watched as her kids snuggled together in a pile of pillows and blankets. Lily holding her stuffed elephant and the twins holding their stuffed tigers. Castle had gotten the tigers as a joke between the two of them, the pregnancy had been tough and he'd continuously reminded her of the time they almost got eaten by a tiger, and the fact that the stuffed tigers had become the twins' most valuable toys had its own special irony to it. But it was all great. Kate loved this family of theirs, and she knew her husband loved it too. She looked up at him and met his eyes as he'd been watching her too. Their eyes exchanging the love and admiration for one another as he continued telling the story to the kids. _Their story_.

 _ **THE END**_


	17. The morning after

_Mildly **M** -rated, HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!_

* * *

Kate Beckett wakes up with her head pounding like crazy. _Fuck she shouldn't have taken that dare from the boys_. Then again she doesn't like it when they make statements saying they could do something better than her just because she was a woman. And they always regretted taking her on so, even though her head hurts bad it's definitely worth it. With a grunt she rolls over to bury her face into the pillow next to her, breathing in a familiar scent. The scent almost immediately made her relax and a small smile tugged her lips upwards through the head pain. It's almost like the scent is some kind of soothing medicine that goes straight into her bloodstream and makes her all soft and relaxed instead of the ordinary uptight muscles she always gets when she's hungover.

After a few minutes of simply becoming a part of the sheets she's in, her fingers hugging the pillow beside her, she's suddenly very aware of feet approaching somewhere in a room not far away. She stills as she listens to the footsteps coming closer and closer until the door to the bedroom carefully pushes open. She stays silent as she listens to his breaths, waiting for him to say something but it never does and she grunts as she forces one eye open to peak at him. Her shadow. Her partner. _Her husband_.

"Good morning," he says in a low and soothing voice.

She grunts again, "Nothing good about it babe."

He has the audacity to chuckle and she pulls the cover over her head to shut out the light from the windows. They hadn't closed the blinds during the night because they both new they wouldn't be able to sleep for however long they liked. _She_ has work tomorrow. And she swears she's going to drag him right there with her.

Kate furrows her eyebrows as she feels him remove the covers just enough by her feet to duck inside and before she can question him she feels his lips kissing her newly shaved legs. Biting her lip she can't believe how her skin _still_ tingles like crazy every time his lips touch her nude body.

"What are you doing?" she says with a shudder as his tongue makes itself known.

"I've read somewhere that orgasms can help against headaches and hangovers," she hears him mumble against her skin and she feels a shiver go up her spine.

She's not able to answer him with a sceptical comment before she's moaning because he's, _oh so devilishly_ , nibbling and kissing her inner thighs. It's not long before he's right where she wants him and her fingers have to grip a hold of the sheets in order to control herself from combusting right here and now. His lips are kissing and sucking and, _fuck_ , when his tongue comes into play she's not in control anymore. He has her moaning his name in throaty tones as he's working her higher and higher until she's not able to do anything but let go and fall apart on his tongue. She's panting as he starts kissing his way up her belly, stopping at the scar between her breasts to kiss it properly before his lips are leading the rest of the way up her neck and her jaw to reach her own lips in a sincere and loving kiss. In which she can taste the residue of herself on his tongue.

"It's a good thing you chose to sleep naked tonight," he mumbles against her lips and she let's go of a breathy chuckle.

"You wouldn't let me do otherwise," she accuses him and he just chuckles before kissing her lips again.

When he pulls away she has a small feeling it is to let her catch her breath, since she's still kind of out of it. As she takes in as much air as she can she, at the same time, makes sure her nostrils are filled with his soothing scent. He kisses the top of her head as he lays onto his side, observing her with those blues she came to love more than she ever thought was possible.

"How's your head?" he asks, his fingers carefully following her facial lines.

She hums when he reaches into her hair, massaging her scalp as he waits for her answer. "Better."

They stay like that for a couple more minutes before her brain suddenly remembers something through the haze of the hangover. "Where are the kids?"

She looks up at him and he smiles at her, his fingers still heavenly in her hair.

"Your dad and mother took them to see the first movie of the year in theatres," he tells her and she smiles.

She wasn't sure what had done it but their kids' grandparents had demanded to have one first with the kids together each year and apparently this year they'd chosen movie. Last year it had been a baseball game, because the year before that it had been a musical.

"Of course they did. On the 1st January," she says while rolling her eyes and Castle laughs. "At least it means we're alone for a couple hours," she adds with a smirk which he immediately mirrors. He leans down to kiss her lips again and this time when they part they once again proves they still got that shared mind thing despite all the years they've been together.

Because both Kate Beckett and Richard Castle simultaneously says "Happy New Year babe".

 _ **THE END**_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Hope you all will have an absolutely amazing 2020! Until next time, xxxx_


	18. Store

Kate can't believe her boyfriend talked her into this. If someone from work saw them, they'd be screwed. Kate Beckett and Richard Castle has only been dating for a couple months and they still have a few more weeks before they are allowed back to the precinct for work but that doesn't mean she thinks it's safe for them to be seen together outside of their homes. Still.

"Castle, just take what you need and let's get out of here," she says as she looks around the store, pushes her cap a little further down her forehead.

It isn't going to help but when Castle, oh so jokingly, asked if she'd feel better undercover with a cap on her head she somehow said yes. And now she just felt stupid. Her coworkers would definitely recognize her if they were at the store, and so would the captain. The captain she is sure will not allow her partner back if she finds out they're in fact _partners_. Even if Gates doesn't seem to hate Castle the way she did in the beginning Kate has a feeling she wouldn't hesitate to kick the writer out if given the chance.

"Oh come on Beckett, this is fun," Castle says as he pushes the cart towards the next thing on his list.

"It's not," she grumbles, still looking around every now and then to look for anyone they might know.

She isn't aware of his hands before they land on her hips to pull her body towards him and she feels her eyes widen with fright.

"Castle!" she hisses but before she can say anything else he's kissing her lips and she forgets whatever was on her mind.

 _Damn_ , his kisses tastes like heaven and her mind spins as she kisses him back, getting lost in him. Her hands find their way onto his shoulders and she can't help but squeeze when his tongue slips past her lips and into her mouth, starting a familiar dance with her own. It doesn't take long before she starts moaning and he chuckles into her mouth.

"So, this is what I have to do to loosen you up," he mumbles against her lips and she realizes where they are.

She quickly pulls away from him and looks around, doesn't recognize any of the people that might have seen them. Turning back to him she punches his chest with narrowed eyes.

"Ouch," he complains but the grin on his face is not faltering one bit.

"Baby," she tells him, rolling her eyes, and she turns towards the groceries to collect what they came for in this aisle.

"You know, you're cute when you're all relaxed and grocery shopping," he comments and she starts to walk out of the aisle.

Kate keeps her eyes open and scans the area as she walks to the next aisle. It only takes a few minutes before she feels his arms around her again, his head closing in on hers, his nose burying itself in her hair moving her cap a bit with the movement.

"If you want to you can grab some gummy bears and get out of here you can, I'll finish the grocery shopping and meet you at your place," it's only just loud enough for her to hear, truly meant for her ears only.

She smiles at that. "No, I wanna finish with you. Come on, let's go," she says as she turns her head to kiss his cheek. "Just, be careful, if you see…"

He smirks, pecks her lips in order to cut her off. "I know, or else we won't get to work together. Let's go."

Castle lets go of her after squeezing her a bit as a hug, and then they went on grocery shopping, both having smiles on their faces and Kate couldn't help but feel all warm inside at the domesticity of it all. The two of them should go grocery shopping more often.

 ** _THE END_**


	19. You want more kids?

"You want more kids?" she asks her boyfriend without really thinking. Having always thought he didn't want more considering his age and the fact that he already had the perfect daughter.

"You don't?" he fires back smoothly and she feels herself freeze in her steps at the question.

Her eyes quickly found his with a shocked expression as she realizes something. They're _real_. If she were to have kids with someone it would be with _him_. She doesn't have a kid and even if he does that doesn't mean she has to give up the thought of having one of her own, _with him_.

"I-" she's not sure what to say. Does she want kids? _Well, maybe_. But not now. Not so soon.

"Don't worry, you don't need to answer, just saying. The option would be nice," he says with a calm in his blues, telling her just how okay it was for her not to give him an answer right away.

 _And god_ , it only made her love him even more. The smile spreading on her lips is hard to sustain and quite frankly she doesn't care. Loves the smile that mirrors back on her.

"Come on," she says. She gives a quick look around to make sure no one's watching them before she gently takes his hand and tugs him with her towards the elevator.

They meet glances and she can't help biting her lower lip. The discussion isn't over, just put on pause for now. When the time comes she knows they'll decide together.

 _ **THE END**_


	20. Just like us

"A writer and his muse fighting crime," he narrates as they look towards the reporter and officer walking into the elevator. "Just like us," he adds before quickly shutting his mouth because _they're kissing_. The reporter and officer are _kissing_.

 _Oh god_.

Kate looks to the ground, catching her lower lip between her teeth as she tries not to think about the way his lips had felt against hers when they'd played drunken lovers not that long ago.

Castle's eyes dart to her before going back to the closed elevator doors. "So, tomorrow?" he asks and she looks at him only to see the adorably shy expression making itself known on his face.

"Mhmm," she hums and observes as he quickly makes his way towards the stairs.

Kate stands still as she starts to think of what he's just said. _A writer and his muse… just like us_. It only takes her another few minutes before she takes a quick glance around to make sure no one's watching as she takes off to follow him. She catches up to him one staircase down, seeing him turn at the sound of someone coming up behind him. Without answering his questioning gaze she leaps forward, has made her decision on her way to catch him, and puts her hands on his cheeks. With her mind racing she can feel her heart flutter at the realization of what she's about to do. She pulls him closer to her and in that same movement she pushes her lips to his, just like they'd seen the reporter and officer do only minutes ago in the elevator the two of them had ridden up and down so many times. His lips are at first still, but it doesn't take much effort to get them moving.

When he kisses her back it is with full force and she loses her breath as she tries to give as much as she's taking. She manages to suck in a breath of air by parting her lips, and immediately moans when she feels his tongue invade her mouth. His taste has her knees wobbling a bit and she feels his hands take a hold onto her hips, steadying her with a strength she hadn't known he possesses. Her fingers slip into the hair above his neck, feeling the thickness of his hair between her fingers for the first time makes her feel giddy inside. Especially when his fingers dig into her hips, pulling her body closer to his, as if he's claiming her. She can feel his breath running out along with hers and so she slows down the kiss, slowly distances her lips from his. Their breaths mix between them and she rests her forehead against his, once again thinking about what he said before, what they witnessed during this case. _A writer and his muse fighting crime._

"Just like us," she whispers once their breathing are slowly returning to normal.

She opens her eyes to see his still closed, but the smile spreading across his lips was impossible to miss. The smile on her own lips are spreading when his eyes open to look at her. Their eyes meet and she wishes she'd called him during the summer, wish she'd given him the possibility to help her. But they're here now, and even though she still has walls, they'll make it work. She just knows they will. And his eyes tell her he knows it too.

 _ **THE END**_


	21. 11 year anniversary

Kate Beckett Castle gets ready for bed and is just putting the rest of the lotion all over her hands as she walks back to their bedroom, thinking about the day her little munchkins had today. She's taken them out to see their grandmother's grave, putting flowers there and when they asked about her. After that they'd gone to the park, where they'd met up with their father, her husband, and she doesn't know how but somehow he managed to drag her into the play. She smiles at the memory. It must've looked so funny, the two adults climbing and crawling in the playground trying to fit through what was only built for kids.

"What are you smiling about?"

Kate looks up to see her husband eyeing her from their bed. She can't stop the smile from growing bigger, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as she looks down with a blush on her cheeks.

"I just keep thinking about how you continue to convince me doing all these childish things," she says, pulling off her robe to put onto the chair before going to the bed.

"Well, as much as I'd love to take the credit that's all you, being an amazing mom."

The love and adoration in his voice doesn't go past her and she feels her cheeks go warmer. She sits down on her side of the bed, grabbing the cover to pull over her legs. Castle was quiet for the time it took for her to snuggle down, when she reaches for her book though she hears him open his mouth.

"You know what date it is today?"

Looking to him she furrows her eyebrows. "What do you mean? It's the 9th of March?"

His smile widens and she gets even more confused. "Exactly."

When he doesn't say more she tries to think, tries to go through everything they've gone through together in order to find what the hell he was referring to. And coming up empty.

"I give up, what's so special about today?" she eventually says, her eyes searching his blue ones.

He only grins, leans in closer and pecks her lips before pulling away to take out an old _Storm Fall_ book-party badge. It takes her another second before she realizes what he's trying to tell her.

"Shut up," she says with wonder in her dropped jaw as her lips slowly turns up in a smile.

"It's eleven years ago we met," he says matter of factly with that same stupid grin and she can't help but laugh with joy.

"I can't believe you remember that date," she says as she reaches for the badge. Examining it.

"Of course I do, it was the day my life became extraordinary," he says with a wink and she chuckles.

"Definitely was," she agrees, biting her lip again.

She doesn't need to look at the badge for long, just strokes it a little before giving it back to him for safe-keeping. Once he's put it back in the drawer and turns back around again she gently cups his jaw, pulling him closer to her as she lets her lips claim his in a loving, deep and passionate kiss. When they pull away for air she's still smiling and when she meets his eyes so is he.

"I love you," she tells him for the millionth of time.

"I love you too," he says before bending down to kiss her lips again.

To know their lives had changed for the better eleven years ago on the day make their hearts explode with joy. Who could've known that one wish to hear someone say something different, a detective who reads mysteries even on her free time, could change two lives forever? It must've been fate.

 _ **THE END**_


	22. Why do you think?

_Prompt: Another take from me on 2x24 A Deadly Game_

* * *

It's eating her alive. And she can't quite wrap her head around it.

" _Why do you think he's following you around? What, research? The man's done enough research to write fifty book_ _s_."

Esposito's words were running through her head, and looking at her partner's chair didn't help.

" _Look, whatever reason, I don't think it involves seeing you with another m_ _an_."

That is the part that annoys her the most. She can't get out the pictures in her head with those saddened expressions he got every time Tom was around.

"You ready?" Her thoughts are interrupted and she can't help but think _speaking of the devil_ when she looks up and sees Tom stand in front of her desk.

"Yeah," she answers by automatic and starts raising to her feet, picking up her jacket. But then her eyes drift to his chair again and she stops in her tracks.

" _It's not like he's leaving._ "

" _Are you sure about that?_ "

Well, _not anymore_.

"Kate, you okay?" Tom asks and Kate looks up to him with what she's sure is a confused and a somewhat saddened face.

She quickly looks down again, biting her lip as she feels her eyes water a bit. She takes a collecting breath before looking up again, quickly scanning the bullpen with her eyes ending on Demming.

* * *

He's having a poker game, she knows he's having a poker game, but it doesn't stop her from arriving outside his door with her hand raised in a fist. Just when she's about to knock she freezes, _should she really disturb them?_

" _It makes what I was going to say much easier_."

 _Yes, she has to_. She takes a few deep breaths before knocking the door. The wait is making her hands turn sticky as her belly is filling with butterflies, all signs of stress and nerves. Perhaps a bit of excitement as well.

"Beckett?" Castle's voice sounds surprised and his eyes are big looking at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I-uh," _why is she suddenly forgetting the speech she'd practiced in her car on the way over?_ "I need to talk to you."

"I'm in the middle of poker night, can it wait till the morning?" He looks over his shoulder and she follows his gaze to see the famous writers around the poker table watching them.

"I don't think it can," she says and he opens the door wider stepping aside to let her in.

"I'm sorry boys, gotta talk to my muse but I'm sure you can manage one game without me winning," Castle says with an amused and gloating tone as they walk towards his office.

Kate smiles at the mention of being his muse but quickly takes control again when she realizes it. She hopes he didn't notice, hopes he was too focused on his writer buddies. She goes to stand by the big window as she waits for him to close the door and join her. Once the door is closed she notices he's taking a breath before carefully walk towards her, placing himself beside her. She can feel his eyes on her and tries to gather up courage to what she came here to say.

"Is there something new with the case?" he asks in a tone telling her he's expecting her to talk about the case.

"No," she says on an exhale. "I broke it off with Tom."

"Wha-why?"

He manages to change his tone to casual but not before she manages to hear the relief and surprise.

"He's just... not what I'm looking for, right now,"

She can practically hear the gulp he's taking and she can't stop her teeth sinking into her lower lip.

"Then… what are you looking for?"

The gentleness in his voice is so sweet that it makes the corners of her lips lift a little.

"It doesn't make sense yet, but-uh a weekend in the Hamptons sounds nice. That is, if the offer still stands?" she asks carefully, turning towards him to see his expression.

His expression goes from surprise to absolute joy in a matter of seconds and now she can't help but smile bright at him.

"Really? You're coming?"

She nods, feeling a lot more excited about the weekend now than she did before.

"Yeah, not like I can let you get bored enough to kill someone outside of your book," she teases and he chuckles.

"Touché," he says with a similar bright smile all over his lips.

Kate sucks her lower lip into her mouth in a try to keep the smile down.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow," she says as she starts to prepare to leave.

"Or, you could stay for the poker," he suggests.

She shakes her head, the smile still on her face. "Thanks but I've gotta go get some sleep." When his face shows a small portion of disappointment she adds, "We could always play poker at the Hamptons. If we don't have anything to play for we could always go for clothing." She shrugs her shoulder as she starts walking away from him, towards the door.

"Clothing?" he halfway exclaims and she smirks giving him a look.

"Mhmm, unless you're afraid of strip poker."

And then she leaves him. Knowing they'll see each other tomorrow has her heart pounding with excitement and knowing they have a full weekend to figure all of this out. _God, she can't wait to figure it all out._

* * *

 ** _The End_**


	23. Strip poker (why do you think pt2)

_**A/N: A lot of you wanted a continuation on Why do you think? so here you go, here's quite a longer sequel to the previous shot. ALSO, this is M-RATED!  
**_

 _ **There, you've been warned, go ahead and enjoy, Happy Easter y'all!**_

* * *

Kate was amazed by his beach house the second she sat foot here three hours ago. Her partner had showed her a tour of his property and she has to admit she can't wait till tomorrow when she can lay out by the pool and work on her tan. Especially when she knows he's going to be observing her.

"I'm going to make us some dinner, you want some wine?" Castle interrupts her thoughts and she puts away the book she'd brought.

"Yes please," she raises from the couch and follows him as he walks into the big kitchen.

"Here you go."

She accepts the red wine with a thanks and takes the first sip only to moan at the taste, not being prepared at the heavenly taste.

"You like it?" he asks with a smirk landing on his lips and she tries to scold her features.

"It's good." She walks to the windows to look out towards the beach while he starts cooking.

She takes another sip as she watches the waves sparkle in the moonlight. Some part of her can't really believe she's here, with him. She dumped Demming, they solved the case with the fake spies and now she's here. All alone with her favorite writer who also happens to be her annoying shadow and the best partner she'd ever had. Another sip makes it past her lips and down her throat before her teeth sink into her lower lip. She's here. She's really here. Her mind can't stop going to the things she secretly wants to happen. At the same time there's a part of her that wants to resist, wants to protect herself and her heart from hurting the way she hurt when her mom was taken from her.

"What are you thinking about?"

She jerks at the sudden sound of his voice but tries to play it off by moving her hand through her hair.

"So, now even my thoughts aren't private anymore huh?" she questions with a small tease hiding in her voice, her eyes finding his as he observes her.

"Oh," a smirk lands on his lips, "so they're private thoughts, got it."

She rolls her eyes, shaking her head as she looks away again. "Shut up." But once she knows he can't see it her lips pull up in a smile and she has to bite it down in order not to grin. After a few more minutes she takes another heavenly sip and feels her cheeks get a bit warm.

"You know, if you want to we can always take a dip in the ocean later," he suggests and she tries but fails to think about that.

Taking a dip in the ocean with him would definitely involve some touching and even though she wouldn't mind one bit it just… feels strange. And then she remembers what she suggested only a day ago and she has to bite her lip again in order to try and push down her inner rebel that would do it within a heartbeat. The reason it feels so strange must be because she's denied her all these thoughts for so long that it feels like they're completely taking over her mind right now. It's the only kind of thing she's been able to think about for the past two days, apart from the case that is.

She's lost in her thoughts again and next time he opens his mouth it's to announce that the dinner is done. When she sits down to eat she can't believe he's been able to be quiet for that long, but she's not focused on that issue for very long because the second the food gets on her tongue she's distracted by the taste. She really can't deny she's missed his cooking from the days when she had to stay over at his place during that Nikki Heat case.

"This was delicious, thanks Castle," she says once she's full and can't take another bite without bursting.

"Good, I hoped the silence meant you enjoyed it," he teases and she rolls her eyes despite the smile growing on her lips.

"Well, I've never tasted it before, what's it called?"

He chuckles and she furrows her forehead, wondering what's so funny. "It's called flying Jacob."

Her forehead wrinkles even more. " _Flying_ Jacob?"

"Yeah, it's a Swedish dish. Apparently a man named Jacob created it or something, I found it once when I searched for new chicken recipes." Castle explains as Kate drinks the last of her wine.

Kate's mind starts racing again, without any warning, and she feels her cheeks blush at the thoughts. For some reason she was thinking about the poker game she halfway promised him. She raise up from her seat and puts everything of hers into the dishes while he takes his own parts before turning the leftovers into lunch boxes.

"So," he starts once everything is done, " what do you want to do?"

You. She bites her lip. "Are you up for some poker?"

She can practically _hear_ the gulp he takes and tries not to grin at the knowledge she's getting to him with that simple sentence. _God, they were a mess._

"Sure," he says as casually as he can. He offers more wine which she accepts before pouring a glass to himself, and then she follows him into the living room.

She takes a sip as she's observing him taking out a deck of cards.

"You wanna play for money, or clothing?" he asks and she smirks.

* * *

Sitting in only her bra, panties and leggings has her skin tingling with excitement. She should be cold, because no matter how hot the weather was during the day it was always colder during the evening, but she wasn't. She was actually kind of warm. Castle only had two items left, his boxers and his pants. She can see he's just as excited as she is, especially since he can't really hide his bulge. It's hard to focus on the game, knowing he wants her as much as she wants him. But the fact that he hasn't made a move makes her unsure of how focused he is, if he truly has that kind of self-control or if he's waiting for her to make a move.

"So, what's your next move?" she says in a teasing tone, has kept her tone teasing and lips in a smirk during the whole game.

That wine must've helped her confidence quite a bit, she makes a mental note to ask for the label later.

Kate observes his face the same way he's always been observing her, and is still observing her at this moment. Her cheeks turn warmer and she bites her lip, knowing full well he can see the blush burning her face. He clears his throat and she wants to laugh, wants to put down her cards and just say "screw this", but no matter how much she knows that's where this is going she can't yet get herself to do it. When they cross this line there is no going back. Then again, she dumped her boyfriend for him, because it killed her knowing he'd leave her if she didn't stop fooling herself, and him.

"I'll bet my pants," he interrupts her thoughts and starts pulling off the jeans, putting them at the top of the small mountain of clothes they have between them.

His boxers are a dark blue and she feels her breath hitch a bit at the sudden thought of being the one pulling them off, the way she knows his skin would twitch under her fingertips. _Or her tongue._

She shrugs out of her mind, put down her cards in order to pull off her leggings, letting them join his pants in the pile. "I'm not folding that easily," she teases and sees his eyes roaming her body. Even though his sight isn't at all somehow magical she can still feel how his eyes are leaving a trail of fire along her skin.

He gulps before turning his gaze to his cards again. "Hmm, I'm thinking about going All-In," he emphasizes the poker-term while turning his eyes back on hers and she feels a chill go down her spine.

"Honestly," she says putting down her cards and pretending to stretch her back from the sitting down at the floor for too long. Before he can do or say anything else, his eyes big as they follow her every move, she crawls towards him to take his cards and putting them down as well. "I don't care anymore." She leans closer with her face in order to let her lips barely touch his.

There's no more encouragement needed because before she knows it his hands land on her hips and pulling her onto his as his mouth takes hers in a demanding demeanor she isn't used feeling from him. His fingers dig into her naked skin just above her panties and she can't help but start grinding onto him, her tongue seeking permission to enter his mouth. She can't believe how he's already got her panting, out of breath yet not willing to break away because _fuck_ his taste is invasive and so damn enchanting and addictive and she never wants to stop. One of his hands gets adventurous and she feels it land on her buttcheek, squeezing to pull her closer, as if that was a possibility. His bulge is poking her in just the right way and she moans when his tongue swirls around hers in a dancing pattern.

Kate lets her fingers wander into his hair, feeling the thickness and softness of it makes her heart skip a beat. She can't believe she hasn't done this before, let down her guard like this, given in. It's what part of her brain had told her to do ever since his first offer after that first case. She loses her breath and has to pull away, which to her surprise results in his lips landing on her throat, kissing her pulsepoint driving her pulse crazy. One of her hands lands on his shoulder, massaging in a way she's never found herself doing on anyone else. It was almost like his lips and touches was possessing her own touches and moves. His tongue sticks out and licks her skin as he places wet kisses down her throat, her neck, and before she can question why he moves away she feels his breath blowing air onto the wet spots and it sends electric waves down her body straight to her core.

"Castle," she pants and feels his grin once his lips attaches to her neck once again.

He trails his lips down and she isn't aware of his hand at her back until he's unclasped her bra and his mouth takes one of her breasts in a sucking matter making her whimper at the feeling. On another note she's very much aware of the fingers trailing the hem of her panties, dipping inside without any warning and she loses her breath at the sudden connection of his fingers against her wet folds.

"Damnit Beckett," he groans and she wonders if he truly has no idea how much he's able to turn her on. _If only he knew what his fictional representations of him and her having sex had done to her._

When he starts rubbing her she has to grab a hold of his hand to stop him, she's so damn close and she hasn't felt him inside her yet. She wants to feel him first, doesn't want her first time coming with him being due to riding his fingers. Lifting her body off of his she starts pulling at his dark blue boxers stating "off", and it doesn't take him a nano-second before he's helping her out of her own panties. Just as she's about to take him inside her he's holding her hips to stop her.

"Are you sure?" he asks and she feels her heart swoon at him. He's not planned on just using the situation they're in and taking her, he's making sure she truly wants this as much as he does, not just physically but mentally too. It makes her even more sure of the decision she made two days earlier.

"I'm sure, I want you. Just you," she reveals and after they've searched each other's eyes for a minute, both confirming this was something they both cherished and wanted, the two of them dives deep into each other. Touching, kissing, connecting. Turning each other into moaning messes as they reach their highs together and falls over.

* * *

"Hey, you want some sun lotion?" Castle asks and Kate squints her eyes in order to look at him walking towards her and she can't stop the smile from spreading on her lips.

"I think you covered it pretty well the first time," she says in a mocking tone and he chuckles.

"It was worth a try," he states and she laughs.

"Yeah, like all the other times you try."

"Can't blame a man from loving his wife," he shrugs his shoulders and she sits up in order to raise from the chair.

She closes the distance between them in order to lay her arms around his neck in a hug, his arms finding their own way around her body. She steps onto her toes and kisses his lips.

"Come on, let's make use of that pool, I'm burning," she says and he laughs, kisses her lips once more before the two of them races to the pool.

* * *

 _ **THE END**_


	24. Trinkets

_**A/N:** Made of a prompt by /Castle_is_Life on twitter, prompt at the bottom to avoid spoilers. Set during season 3 sometime between episodes 11 (Nikki Heat) and 12 (Poof, you're dead)._ _  
_

* * *

Kate looks at the small earth globe lying in the middle of her books. She picks it up gently and starts looking at it, she doesn't remember buying it, doesn't recall ever getting it in a gift. She starts scrunching up her nose as she tries to get rid of the smile adoring her lips. Letting go off the cloth she's used to dust her bookshelves she walks out of her living room and into her bedroom. She easily drops down on her knees by her bed and removes the cover in order to stick her hand under, grabbing the small jewelry box she's hidden under there. Once it's out of there she pulls it into her lap, sitting down on her butt, and opens the lid.

The box is starting to fill up and she can't stop the grin on her lips as she looks at all the trinkets she's found the last couple of months hiding around in her living room and kitchen. She lets her fingers slide over the items, thinking of the man behind them all. When she'd found the first trinket she was almost sure there had been a break-in, but when she was sure nothing had been stolen or otherwise tempered with she had started to wonder if her dad had something to do with it. Then she'd found a second trinket and her dad had been nowhere close to her apartment at all. It was when she found the fifth trinket that everything started to make sense.

It was a small shovel being stuck in a chest, a treasure. The realization had dawned on her and she's laughed at the sneakiness and absolute ridiculousness of it all. _Every_ time she'd found a trinket it had been after her partner had been there. Sure, it could've been a day or three since he'd been there but there was no way it was all just a coincidence. And she shovel with the chest only made it more obvious since two days earlier they'd been digging up the treasure that her training officer along with the killer had searched for during their murder investigation.

Her fingers picks up the coffee cup he'd left after the shadowing from Natalie Rhodes, knowing he was technically saying it was her coffee and would always be. She'd found it a few days ago and she had to admit it was her favorite so far. She is thinking of putting up all the items in her bookshelf, but knows that if she does it would tell him just how much they mean to her. And she's not quite sure she's ready to do that yet. Putting down the coffee cup again she looks at the new item she's about to add. The earth globe. She wonders what it means. It drives her crazy sometimes, trying to figure out what he's trying to say.

Letting the globe find its place in the box she continues to think as she closes the lid and pushes the box back to its place under her bed. This is the 18th trinket she's found. She pulls herself up again and goes back to dusting the bookshelves in her living room. When she finds the 20th, she'll let him know she knows.

* * *

Kate found a magician hat two days ago and invited him over for dinner and beer to see if she could catch him in the action. She's oddly satisfied with herself when she excuses her to the bathroom and manages to close the door to the bathroom perfectly before sneaking back to spy on him. Her heart skips a beat when she sees him, and finally gets it confirmed, raise from his seat on the couch only to walk to her bookshelf, his hand going into his pocket. He stills by one of the photos she has put in the bookshelf of her and her family. His hand goes out of his pocket and he carefully placed something on the shelf.

Silently Kate starts sneaking up on him, seeing his head was focused on whatever he was fixing with. Once he seems satisfied with the result she's already managed to trip her way up behind him and is able to look over his shoulder to see the small bouquet of flowers he's found. It looks like the one she magically pulled out of her sleeve to him yesterday.

"Gotcha!"

She's never seen him jump and scream the way he just did and she can't stop herself from laughing. He looks so caught in the act it's ridiculously adorable. She leans past him in order to take the small trinket between her fingers, leaning back to look at it.

"You know, it's quite rude leaving things in other people's homes," she says in as a serious tone as she can.

"You know?" he questions and she's not even trying to hide the grin anymore.

"Castle, I'm a _detective_ , of course I know." He 'oh's and she bites her lip. He looks so embarrassed and she nudges his shoulder with hers. "Thanks."

His blues meets her hazel and when he sees the smile that gleams in her eyes she can see the pull in his own lips.

"So you enjoy them?" he asks and she nods. "Well, then don't expect me to stop."

"I don't." She's not able to stop herself from standing on her toes and leave a kiss on his cheek before she pulls away and starts going towards the kitchen. "You want another beer?"

"I wouldn't say no to that," he answers as he follows and she can't wait to show him she's saving the whole collection.

Maybe she should save a spot for them all on a shelf for next time he visits. It all depends on when he comes over next. Perhaps he would be willing to help her. Whatever she decide she knows this is just the first step in their partnership turning more.

* * *

 _ **THE END**_

 _ **Prompt:** A fic where Kate is dusting and fins new trinkets lying around and doesn't know where they came from but it's usually after Castle leaves her apartment…_

 _ **Thank you /Castle_is_Life !**_


	25. To love and die in LA

Kate Beckett doesn't sleep much during the night. She can't stop thinking about the way he looked at her, the way he tried his best to make her feel better through the pain of losing her training partner. Castle was so sweet and caring and, _fuck_ , so hard to resist. She's tried so hard not to give in, knows just how bad he'll break her heart if she gives in, but it's hard. Especially at times like last night when he's looking at her with those ocean blue eyes along with those tentative words she can see comes straight from the heart. She'd been so close to kissing him last night and her mind keeps playing an alternative scenario if she'd just given in. It also kept playing a scene of him still sitting at the couch when she opened the door again, a scene that were most definitely the reason behind some of her insomnia.

Kate sits down by the murder board, writing new things they've learned, trying to focus her mind onto the case they came here for. When she hears the door to his room open behind her she waits a few seconds before turning around to greet him, her lips turning up in a smile as she takes in his morning look. He's in the hotel's white robe, shirt and pants underneath along with bed hair.

"Wow! Somebody's up early," he says with a yawn, a look of surprise and tiredness as he comes closer to her.

"Hey," she greets.

"What, did you pack a murder board?"

She smiles at that, shakes her head as she answers. "Concierge. I called down and then 10 minutes later, voilà."

"Maurice is amazing, isn't he?" Castle says with a small kind of excitement.

"Yeah," she whispers, biting her lip as her eyes glances over his body. All the night's thoughts comes rushing back into her mind and she curses herself for not being able to keep herself in control.

After a long silence she senses him start turning bit on his heels, restless under her eyes. "What?"

She realizes he's noticed her staring and shakes her head while clenching her eyes shut. "Nothing, sorry. Just… deep in thought about the case," she lies as she turns back to the murder board again.

He hums from behind her and she bites her lip with her eyes closed, hoping he can't see it or knows the lie she just told. Her mind goes to the letter Royce tried to send her multiple times. The fact that he'd seen the pull she feels towards Castle still jolts her heart, because she honestly thought she was great at hiding it. Then again, she knows Lanie has been going on and on and on about that connection ever since the writer started shadowing her. It just… hurts a little more knowing Royce had noticed it. Especially considering she won't be able to tell him he's wrong, even though he's right.

"How'd you sleep?" his question interrupts her thoughts and she turns her head slightly to see him come closer with two cups of coffee in his hands. _When did he put on coffee?_

"I-uh," _kept thinking of you_ , "slept good. The bed is cozy." She accepts the coffee with a smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks."

He smiles that beautiful smile she finds herself falling for. "Always," he says and her heart melts at the sentiment.

Looking down she puts the cup to her lips, sipping carefully. When the hot black beverage goes down her throat she can feel her body relax just a bit more. She observes her coffee for a couple seconds before she carefully glances towards him, sitting at the couch with his eyes focused on the whiteboard and the things she's written. She can't help but wonder what he's thinking about, if he's truly thinking about the case or if there's something else occupying his mind. Catching Royce's killer should be her number one priority but she's finding her own mind betraying her as she once again starts to think about the moment they shared yesterday. What was she planning on doing when she opened the door again? Would she kiss him? Tell him she wanted to give them a try? _Would he feel the same?_

"What's on your mind?" Castle suddenly pulls her back again and she once again curses herself for her lack of focus.

She sighs, putting a hand over her face to quite literally show how exhausted she was. "Too many things," she admits and witnesses as he puts down his coffee to raise from the couch.

Holding her breath she follows his movements as he walks up to her and sinks down to his knees behind her. Before she can really think about what's happening she feels his hands land on her shoulders.

"Whatareyoudoing?" she says in one breath and he starts moving his thumbs around her shoulders.

"Giving you a massage, you look like you need it. You sure you slept well?" he explains as he starts kneading her shoulders.

Without her permission her whole body relaxes into his hands, she feels her tense shoulders melt into pudding. She can't help but hang her head down, her eyes closing at the pleasure, it didn't take much more encouragement for him to start using a little bit more pressure and it felt heavenly. She heard herself moan suddenly and felt her body betray her at the shiver going down her spine, making her bite her lower lip to try and gain some self control again. His hands starts to move towards her back, constantly kneading patterns into her skin and Kate feels herself lean forwards as if her body is preparing to fall asleep to the amazing way his fingers are tracing her back.

"If you want me to stop just say stop," her partner whispers into the silence and she hums.

She doesn't want him to stop, it's the first time since she saw her former friend lying on the ground with a gunshot in his body that she can truly feel herself relax. One part of her wonders how the hell he's able to make her feel so free, while another just tells her she should've known he can.

The sudden ring of her phone makes her jump and his hands immediately leave her. She quickly raises and picks her phone up from the table by the couch.

"It's Montgomery," she says pursing her lips.

"Don't answer?" he says and she shakes her head.

"Wasn't planning on it." He chuckles at that and she smiles, glad to know they still think alike. She starts to think about all the possibilities that are opening up for them, the fact that he decided to follow her here only to let her know he would always stand by her. That no matter what he is indeed always there for her. Then she remembers why they're here and she looks down to her feet, taking a breath in. "We should get back on the case," she murmurs and she can see his shoulders slump a bit.

Carefully she walks back to him, bites her lip as she takes his hand in hers, playing with his fingers. "After this case, let's talk. For _real_." She looks into his eyes the second they snap to hers. She sees the hope sparkle in those blues and she feels her insides fill with the same emotion.

"Okay," he whispers and they smile, searching each others eyes for a few more seconds before they let go of the moment to get back to the case that brought them there, the case that would end with a start of something new.

 _ **THE END**_


	26. Night talk

_Set season 2 after Boom._

* * *

Castle awakes with a weird feeling in his stomach. It feels like a knot of some kind, as if he is worried or afraid, but he has no idea what makes him feel this way. At least not until he hears a sniff from somewhere outside his bedroom. That's when it all downs back on him. _Beckett_. He tries to stay away, tries to give her the space he's promised, but it's _so damn hard_ leaving her alone when it's clear she's upset. He knows the deal is he's not supposed to bother her, even if it's his loft she still wants her privacy. But then again, _why isn't she in her room?_ Maybe she _wants_ him to investigate the sounds of her pain.

"Screw it," he mumbles to himself before he throws away the covers and pulls on a shirt to cover himself. He doesn't care about putting pants on, not when he hears another sniff and doesn't think she'll care he's only in his boxers. Just for safety he quickly grabs his robe on his way out of his bedroom. He's not exactly sneaking through his office and into the living area but he's not making too much sound either.

He spots her after looking around the living room for several seconds. She sits on the floor by the big windows, facing the city below them, with one hand cradling her neck and the other in her hair. He stands for a few seconds just observing her, he keeps thinking she's going to turn her face to him or in some other way acknowledge his presence. When she doesn't he starts wondering if maybe he was too quiet walking in there. He gulps and scratches his head before opening his mouth.

"Beckett?" He does his best to keep his voice sooth and low to not scare her. Looks like she gets a bit startled anyway due to the small jerk her body makes at the sound of his voice. She looks towards him and lowers her hand in her hair in order to wipe it across her face. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," he apologizes as he walks towards her.

"No, it's okay, I shouldn't be out here," she says, keeping her voice down as to not wake up any of the other members of the Castle family. "I tried to stay in the guest room but it just felt… cramped."

He sits down in front of her, watching as she's avoiding eye contact by focusing on the buildings outside.

"Don't worry about it, you're free to go around as you like," he assures her, seeing her eyes flicker to his. Her hazels looks watery and he realizes the sniffs must've actually been related to her being sad and letting out her emotions. "What's on your mind?" he asks as gently as he can muster.

He watches as she shakes her head, tries to smile only for her eyes to turn more watery and he sees the smile falter. Her lips purses in that way that tells him she's trying to hold back her emotions and he wishes he had the right to tell her to just let it out. But he's afraid it would only result in her closing in on him again.

"I-uh, woke up from a nightmare, in which I wasn't alone in my apartment when it blew up and I just… it keeps repeating in my mind," she admits and he hopes he's not showing how surprised he is at her actually opening up. "I know the case is over, I know he's in prison, but I don't have a home anymore. And my dad was close to losing me too. Having a few days off to relax and recover strength isn't really my strong suit." She shrugs her shoulders while her free hand, not the one still on her neck, starts fiddling with the knees of her leggings that she's wearing.

He tries to think of some comfort but can only really think of one thing. "How about you let me help you? I mean, I can help take your mind off of things, we can have a movie night, play boardgames, I've got video games too, you are free to read any book of mine," he gestures to the books in the shelves acting walls between the living area and his office. "If you want to you can even read what I've been writing on the next Nikki Heat book."

The small smile that tugs her lips has his insides warm with pride, he made her smile.

"Thanks, you're too sweet," she says low and he smiles.

"Always." Her smile grows bigger at the promise and he can't stop the next suggestion out of his mouth. "And if you ever need a massage don't hesitate to ask."

She laughs quietly at that, her eyes rolling in that way she only ever does for him. "Might take you up on that," she teases and he observes as the sadness in her eyes disappears, replaced with a small mischief glimpsing.

"Please do," he says and she shakes her head with another laugh. Her fingers leaving her knee to grab a hold of his and drag it to her knee. She plays with his fingers and he feels his heart skip a beat at the tingles, she's definitely more to him than just a muse.

"Thanks Rick, for easing my mind. For making me laugh," she whispers and when he meets her eyes there's a promise. A promise only for him. A promise of something _more_. A promise involving a _them_. A promise of _soon_.

 _ **THE END**_


	27. If only

**_Prompt: Set 3x22 To love and die in L.A. on the plane. Just to clarify, in my version Josh doesn't exist._**

* * *

 _If only_. Kate thinks about it. Maybe he's right. Maybe Royce has a point about her trying too hard to protect her heart. Folding the piece of letter back to its folded form she lets her eyes wander again. Somehow they find their way to her partner being asleep next to her. He had been nothing but sweet to her during this whole trip, hadn't fought her once about going after Royce's killer. She didn't even _ask_ for his help. Still, he'd done everything in his power to make all of this easier for her. He tried to lift her spirits in his way without being a jackass, always making sure he didn't cross a line. He made her laugh when she least thought it was possible. No one has ever been able to do that, not even her mom or dad. She's halfway wondering if he would've been able to bring up her spirits had they met and known each other before her mom was murdered. Something tells her he would have. Gently she puts down the letter in her handbag, making sure it doesn't gets torn apart, and then she turns towards the writer. She's not sure she's done thinking about it but she just can't ignore her heart anymore. _Risking our hearts is why we're alive_. She takes a deep breath before gently touching his arm, stroking it slightly. Almost not touching at all.

"Castle?" she whispers, leaning closer to make sure he's hearing her through his sleep. "Rick? Could you wake up, please?"

"Hmm?" he mumbles something incoherent and turns his head towards her, his eyes squinting to see her through closed lids.

Suddenly she's not sure what to say, not sure how she's supposed to tell him she wants to risk her heart by giving it to him. _How does anyone risk their heart?_

"'S it?" he slurs his words and she panics. If she doesn't do anything soon he's going to be fully awake and get worried. _He shouldn't worry about her_.

Instead of saying anything else to try and explain anything, _she's not the writer, he is_ , she's leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. His lips are very formable and she can feel he's just kissing her back as on autopilot, just like she feels the moment his brain is catching up to what is happening. When he realizes he's first kissing her back in a feverish way she isn't prepared for, making a quiet moan rise in her throat, and then he's suddenly pulling away with eyes wide looking at her. The way he pulled away she feels her lips pout before she manages to school her features, quickly preparing herself for having her heart wrecked. _She shouldn't have risked it_.

"Wha… are you…" he stutters, probably not being able to collect his thoughts because she practically kissed him awake.

"I'm sorry," she splutters. "I didn't… Royce's letter… and you've been so… I'm sorry, forget it."

She's physically trying to pull away from him, trying to sit as far away from him as possible in the seat right _there_ beside him. She made a mistake, he's not feeling the same way and she's made a mistake. _Why did she listen to a man who had fooled her last time they spoke?_ She's stupid. _God_ , she wishes she could just rewind the time and _not wake him up_.

"No, I can't just forget it, _you kissed me!_ " he hisses with shock still written all over his face. " _You_ actually kissed _me_!" He's quiet for about two seconds before adding in a complete different kind of surprised tone. "I always thought it would be me kissing you. And then you shooting me for kissing you," he adds low, as if he's thinking out loud.

Wait a second. He thought it would be _him_ kissing _her_? Does that mean…?

"You've thought about kissing me?" she asks, apparently the filter between her brain and mouth having gone MIA for the time being.

"Of course I have!" he exclaims and those blue eyes of his bore into hers in a way she's not prepared for.

She gulps, suddenly afraid that risking her heart will actually lead to something more. _Yes_ , it is what she wants but it still scares the hell out of her. Royce had seemed to indicate she should ask herself what scares her the most, thinking Castle would break her heart or thinking he would actually risk his own too.

"Why didn't you?" is the next thing coming out her mouth and she curses herself in her mind.

"Wha-I… thought you'd shoot me," he says with widened eyes and she can't stop the 'oh' from slipping out her lips. "Wait." She sees how realization dawns on him. "You _wanted_ me to kiss you?" _Shit_.

She opens her mouth to answer in the negative, but the second she's about to say something she can't get it out. Why? _Because it's not true_. Instead she closes it again and bites her lower lip. She also looks down, tries to hide the embarrassment in her eyes, but the blush on her cheeks are most definitely giving her away. It takes about a minute, then he's the one leaning forward claiming her lips with his. This time she moans immediately at the sudden feel of his lips taking hers, especially since he's sucking her lower lip in between his to suck and nibble just to send shockwaves down her veins. She's letting out a gasp and he's taking advantage immediately by pushing his tongue into her mouth, leaving her high on his taste once he pulls away again.

"Wow," she pants.

"Yeah," he agrees before kissing her lips again, not as rough but more sweet. "Mm, how long until we're back on the ground?" he mumbles against her lips and she wishes it is sooner rather than later.

Before he can kiss her again and make her even more dizzy she pulls away slightly, but grabs his hand in hers, hugging it tight to show she still wants to be close.

"When we land, will you walk me home?" she questions with a small tease on her tongue.

The way his lips are pulling up in a wide smirk she knows his answer. And she can't wait.

 _ **THE END**_


End file.
